Fate & Destiny
by Arctic Husky
Summary: {COMPLETE} It was Takharu's destiny to find the blade of Ra... it was Yun Sung's fate to save her from the evil shard in it. But now they are rivals in the search for Soul Edge... - Yun SungOC - Please, R&R! (Rated PG-13 for violence)
1. A Journey Beings

All right. This is the first really serious fan fiction I've ever written, and I'd really like to know what people think of it. You can just read on to find out what it's about. ^.~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.  
  
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Soul Calibur II - Fate & Destiny  
  
*~* Chapter 1 - A Journey Begins *~*  
  
In the heart of Egypt, there was a girl who was about to begin the quest of a lifetime. As it was, her life was indeed hectic. Her grandfather was the wisest elder of the village, and her father the most skilled swordsman. They had both passed down their knowledge to her, the eldest of the swordsman's children. There had been an older brother, but he passed on when the girl was still young... killed by a vicious sandstorm. And so it became the girl's fate to learn all there was to know, and be the most skilled swordsman in Egypt. As she neared adulthood, things were changing. The eldest child of every family has to set out to the Temple of Ra to search for a legendary blade, said to have been forged by Ra himself. As well as this, she would have to be married to a man she did not truly love. However, she chose to keep her feelings bottles up. She did want anyone to be disappointed. This was the path many people had to take. Little did she know that there was more to her fate than she realized. And so her tale begins... a story of hate, love and destiny.  
  
{-----|~-~|-----}  
  
"Are you ready, Takharu?" a middle-aged man cracked open the door to Takharu's room.  
  
"Yes, Father," she replied, "I'm a little nervous... but I'm ready."  
  
Her father laughed, "Do not be frightened. Many have entered the Temple of Ra to seek the sword said to have been forged by the Sun God himself. No one has ever been killed on the journey.  
  
"I know," the girl smiled, "But I do not want to disappoint you."  
  
"You will not. I cannot be disappointed in one who failed to do what I, myself, could not succeed in," the man reassured, "Now, we must bid farewell to our family. We will be gone for at least a week." Takharu nodded, and followed her father out of the room.  
  
"Takharu!" her mother called, "Are you leaving already?"  
  
"Yes," Takharu answered, "Father and I must go now. I am turning eighteen soon and the journey must be complete before then."  
  
Takharu's mother hugged her, "Be careful. I believe that you can find the sword, but don't hurt yourself.  
  
"I won't," Takharu said, hugging her mother back.  
  
"Sister," Takharu turned around to see her younger brother standing by the doorway, "You will be the one to find Ra's blade."  
  
Takharu grinned, "I'm going to try. But while Father and I are gone, you must protect Mother."  
  
The boy nodded, "I will make sure no harm comes to us while you are gone."  
  
"I have no doubts that the house will be in any danger with you around," she quickly hugged her brother.  
  
"Come, Takharu. We must leave now," her father motioned for her to follow him. She quickly followed him, and they set out to find the legendary blade of Ra.  
  
And so, after days of travel, they arrived the Temple of Ra where the sacred sword was said to rest. Takharu entered the temple alone, as her father waited outside for her return. She would have a mere twenty-four hours to seek out the blade and claim it as her own.  
  
Through dungeons and chambers, she searched. Deep into the temple she wandered; but there was no sign of the sword. Finally, she stepped into a vast room with walls of gold. There were ancient scriptures carved into the walls. She cautiously approached the hieroglyphs, and ran her fingers along the wall.  
  
"The legendary sword brings more than expected," she read aloud, "The metal at its tip can bring either eternal happiness... or endless suffering." There was more to read, but they were illegible for Takharu's level of understanding. She turned to the back of the room, and noticed an altar with a depiction of the sun. "The Sun God..." she said softly. She walked up to the altar, and looked up at the wall. A drawing of a sword... it looked so real, "That can't be art," she convinced herself. She stepped up onto a ledge and reached for the 'drawing'. It was real. The legendary sword... it was there in front of her. She grabbed onto its hilt and pulled it from the wall. Though it had been there for centuries, the golden blade still shone brightly. Takharu studied the sword, and noticed that the end of the blade was different. It appeared dark and dull. She ignored it for the time, and turned back towards the entrance of the temple.  
  
"Takharu!" her father greeted her with great joy on his face, "That sword! Can it be...?"  
  
"Yes, Father... I did it. I found the legendary blade of Ra," Takharu sounded hardly as thrilled as her father... for she was afraid of what the scriptures said.  
  
"Oh, Takharu! I am so proud of you!" her father did not seem to notice her fear, "You have done what I could not. You have truly proved yourself!"  
  
Takharu smiled weakly, "Father, may we please return home quickly?" she has a feeling of dread in her gut. Something seemed wrong, but she did not know what.  
  
"Most certainly! We must show everyone that you have succeeded!" And so they returned home along the path that they had followed to get to the temple.  
  
{-----|~-~|-----}  
  
Takharu walked ahead of her father. She was rushing to get home. When they finally arrived, she cracked open the door and peeked in. What awaited her would scar her for the rest of her life. On the ground, the bodies of her mother and brother laid motionless... dried blood around them.  
  
Takharu couldn't speak... she couldn't scream. She turned and ran from the harsh reality - Past her father, through her village... into the ancient, deserted crypt. The one place she could always be alone. She fell to the ground and sobbed. Her family was broken forever, "Why did this have to happen!?" she cried. She looked down at the blade that was still in her hand, "It's your fault... You have brought me eternal despair!" she broke down and cried again.  
  
Footsteps were heard approaching, "Takharu... are you there?" She ignored the voice... she knew who it was. Her fiancé; she did not wish to speak with him. "Takharu... Please, answer. I know you're here."  
  
"Go away," Takharu managed to say.  
  
"I only wish to help you," the young man insisted.  
  
"You're no help... please leave," she pleaded.  
  
"What is wrong? Speak to me, Takharu."  
  
"This is my final warning... leave me be!" rage filled Takharu's voice.  
  
"Please..."  
  
Takharu eyes narrowed, and she got to her feet, "You ignored my warnings..." she said harshly, "...For the final time!" she clutched the blade of Ra tightly, and skewered the man straight through his stomach.  
  
He died immediately... before his body could hit the ground. "What have I done?" Takharu said softly to herself, "I've murdered him... What is happening to me!? I can't control myself!" she fled the crypt, and wandered into the desert.  
  
"I'm a danger to everyone... I must stay away from people," those were the thoughts going through her mind as she pushed forward through the harsh heat of the desert, "No one can find me..." she breathed heavily. The heat was beginning to be too much for her. She dropped her blood-covered sword, and the metal shard on its tip broke off. Takharu knelt down by it, and reached for the shard. As her grip tightened around it, horrible memories of her past came back to her. From her older brother's death, to murdering her fiancé. Takharu screamed as the memories rushed back. It was too much. She fell unconscious, still holding the metal shard in her hand.  
  
*~* End of Chapter 1 *~*  
  
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So, that's the first chapter and I REALLY want to know what you think. So PLEASE review! I'll get the next chapter posted as soon as I can! Oh, yes. And the "romance" will enter next chapter. 


	2. A New Quest

All right, I don't really have much to say. Just introducing the chapter. Here's where the true quest is chosen, and, of course, we discover what happened to Takharu after she passed out. Hm... who could have saved her? Read on to find out!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.

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Fate & Destiny

*~* Chapter 2 – A New Quest *~*

                Takharu opened her eyes to discover that she was no longer in the desert. She was lying in a bed, in a small cabin. She sat up and looked around – It was empty.

                The door creaked open, and a boy about Takharu's age walked in, "So you're finally awake," he stated. What had happened? How long had she been asleep? Takharu couldn't remember. "Do you have a name?" he asked.

                Takharu snapped out of her trance of confusion, "My name is Takharu."

                "And I'm Yun Sung. Now that the introductions are over... what were you doing out in the middle of the desert like that?"vg

                Takharu thought for a moment... her memory was hazy, "I was running away..." she recalled aloud, "My mother and brother... they were killed, and I ran away from the reality of it." Yun Sung nodded in understanding, "And then... I killed the man I was being forced to marry... but I didn't do it willingly. It was as if I was being controlled."

                "You probably were," Yun Sung said. He handed Takharu the shard of metal that had fallen from her sword, "That metal you were holding is a piece of the Sword of Salvation. A lot of people say it's evil, so it would make sense if it controlled you like that. I, however, choose not to believe that it's evil."

                "How do you know so much about this sword?" Takharu questioned.

                Yun Sung was silent for a moment, "You're not the only one who has come across a piece of the sword," he revealed that he, also, had a metal fragment.

                "How many shards are there?" Takharu was growing more curious of the blade.

                "I'm not sure," he replied, "But the tale of the Sword of Salvation, or Soul Edge, is known by many... so no doubt that there are a lot of people after it."

                "Do you want the sword?" asked Takharu.

                "I need the sword. It's the only way I can protect my country in the raging war. The ultimate weapon... I need to prove myself."

                Takharu at the blade of Ra, that was by her side. She was deep in thought, "'Prove myself' he says... I proved myself and ended up falling into madness," Takharu grabbed the hilt of her sword and stood up.

                "What are you doing?" Yun Sung asked her.

                "I have to go..." she replied, "I have to right my wrongs."

                "Not in your condition! You're still weak. You need more rest."

                "I'm fine," Takharu assured him, "I can take care of myself."

                "Yeah, right! You really looked like you could take care of yourself when you were lying unconscious in the middle of nowhere," Yun Sung commented sarcastically.

                Takharu remembered what had happened to her in the desert, "Why did you save me?" she sat back down on the bed.

                Yun Sung seemed surprised by the question, "I don't know... I guess I just couldn't leave someone to die like that."

                "You've killed people before, have you not?"

                Yun Sung hesitated, "Yes... but this is different. I just didn't think you deserved to die... but maybe I was wrong... going into a desert along and unprepared is practically suicide. Even if you're trying to run away from your problems..."

                What Yun Sung said seemed to trigger something inside of Takharu, "You just sounded like my mother... She always told my older brother never to go into the desert alone."

|~~~~|~-~|~~~~~|~-~|~~~~|

                I was young at the time... back when my brother was alive. I remember that he always loved going into the desert, it was like a hobby to him; but my mother was always furious when she found out where he had been. I always thought she was being too harsh on him...

                "Mother, why can't I go into the desert? It's the only fun place around here!"

                "It's too dangerous... if you get caught in a sandstorm it will be the end of you! Never go into the desert alone!"

                He didn't listen to her... he should have. He went back into the desert, and a sandstorm started. It took his life... he never got to live the joys of life just because he didn't listen. My mother wasn't being harsh... he cared about him, and I realize that now... If only my brother had understood...

|~~~~|~-~|~~~~~|~-~|~~~~|

                "None of this would have happened... He would still be alive... He would have gone to the temple, then perhaps the sword wouldn't have been found. My family would still be alive..." tears streamed down Takharu's face.

                "Don't cry," Yun Sung sat down beside Takharu, "There's no use of even thinking about it. What's done is done... you can't change the past."

                "It just tears me up inside... If my brother had understood love, my family wouldn't be in hell."

                "Forget all about it," Yun Sung insisted, "Go to sleep. You need rest if you want to leave this place and return home."

                Takharu nodded slowly, "All right. Good night then, Yun Sung," she lay down in the bed once again.

                "Good night," he stood up and walked over to the other side of the room, and sat down on the chair. He was deep in thought, about all that had happened, "Why **_did _**I save her? Why do I care? It's not like me... But there's something about this girl... I just don't understand," he sighed, "Maybe I need some sleep, too..." he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

[----{-----|~-~|-----}----]

                Late into the night Takharu awoke. She was feeling much calmer now. She stood up and looked across the cabin; Yun Sung was fast asleep. She quietly walked over to the table and wrote a note on a piece of paper:

_Yun Sung, _

_I'm sorry I ignored your request for me to stay and rest longer... but I had to leave. I'm not going home... I have chosen to search for the sword "Soul Edge". I wish I could remain with you, but we are now rivals. If we meet again – And I hope we won't – We will end up battling each other... and I cannot fight against someone who saved my life... but I also can't let you wield Soul Edge. I'm sorry... Farewell..._

_                                                                                                                                                              ~Takharu_

She folded the paper and placed it on the bed where she had been sleeping. She silently slipped out the door and set out in search of Soul Edge. She had to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands... or any hand for that matter. She remembered the hieroglyphs in the ancient crypt; they spoke of the evil blade... and not the Sword of Salvation that Yun Sung believed it to be. If anyone laid a hand on that sword... his or her life would be ruined. Yun Sung had saved her life... now she had to do the same for him.

[----{-----|~-~|-----}----]

                Yun Sung awoke late in the morning. He got to his feet and looked across the room to discover that Takharu was gone, "Damnit..." he cursed under his breath. He reached for the note Takharu left, and after reading it he was not pleased, "Great... now I have another person to worry about! I have to get ahead of her and get that sword... and no doubt Seung Mina is close behind me," he thought to himself, "I'd better move!" he quickly gathered his belongings and dashed out the door. 

*~* End of Chapter 2 *~*

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Ooo... the plot thickens. Next chapter we will see what is going on with both Yun Sung and Takharu. I'll update as soon as I can! ((Which should be soon since I have a five day weekend starting tomorrow! ^_^))


	3. Another Friend is Another Rival

**Thanks for the reviews. Yes... yes I do really like Yun Sung. He's yet another obsession for me. ^.~ Anyway, here's the next chapter of Fate & Destiny. Oh, yes! And so you know when a character is thinking and not speaking, I've made their thoughts in Italics.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.**

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Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 3 – Another Friend is Another Rival *~*

                Takharu wandered through a nearby town. She was exhausted... she hadn't had anything to eat since she left Yun Sung's cabin several days ago. She looked around at all of the stalls set up. They were selling food and weapons... selling... that was the problem. Takharu didn't have any money with her. It wasn't exactly something that was on her mind when she ran away. She sighed, _"Maybe this was a mistake... maybe I should have listened to Yun Sung and just gone home," she stopped for a moment and remembered Yun Sung. All he wanted was power... he wanted to prove himself. That wasn't such a bad thing... but Soul Edge wasn't the way to do it. __"No... I can't turn back now. I have to keep going for Yun Sung's sake," she continued walking through the alleys, despite that she had no money._

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Meanwhile, Yun Sung was still trying to catch up to Takharu... the Sword of Salvation on his mind. He had several people to worry about... he couldn't let anyone beat him to the sword. With Takharu ahead of him, trying to keep him from the blade... and Seung Mina behind him, attempting to get him to return home... and who knew who else was out there? He walked forward... every step bringing him closer to his goal.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu sat down in the middle of the town. No food... no rest... what kind of lifestyle had she chosen to live?

                "Excuse me," she heard a voice behind her. When she turned around she saw a girl who appeared in her twenties, holding a rod in her hands, "Have you by any chance seen a kid around your age with red hair, and wielding a Chinese sword? I've been trying to track him down for days... non-stop."

                _"Yun Sung," Takharu immediately knew whom she was talking about... but she didn't want to tell her. She didn't know if she could be trusted, "Why are you looking for him?"_

                "That's none of your concern," she answered, "Please... if you've seen him, just tell me."

                "I'd rather not," Takharu held back the information she knew.

                The girl sighed in frustration, "You're beginning to irritate me."

                "I'm not telling you a thing," Takharu unsheathed the blade of Ra... ready to defend herself.

                "You're picking a fight with the wrong person. My father has taught me the art of fighting very well," she twirled her rod and held it out in front of her.

                "As has mine," Takharu tossed her blade in the air and caught it be its hilt, "If I defeat you, you must answer any question I ask."

                "All right... but I win, you need to answer my questions."

                "Deal... let's go!" Takharu rushed the girl, taking to the offensive; however, each attack was easily blocked. Her opponent smirked, then dodged her next attack and hit Takharu in the back with her rod. Takharu fell to the ground. She turned over and saw the girl towering over her.

                "Ready to give up?" she asked.

                "Never..." Takharu grasped her sword's hilt tighter, and got to her feet, "Ra! Give me the power I need!" she shouted. As if answering her cries, the blade began to glow... it was surging with so much strength. She slashed at her adversary, who held out her rod in defense. The sword hacked right through the rod, breaking it into two pieces.

                Takharu's foe gasped in astonishment, "I can't believe you beat me..." she dropped the wooden pieces in her hands, "You won fairly... so go ahead; ask me the questions you want answers to."

                "Who are you? Where are you from?" Takharu questioned.

                "I am Seung Mina from Korea. I live under my father, Seung Han Myong's care," Mina replied.

                Takharu pondered about her response for a moment, then continued her questions, "Why are you looking for Yun Sung?"

                Mina smiled, "So you do know him. Well, I need to find him to get him to go back home. He took an heirloom of my family with him, and I need him to go back before my father decides to come and search for us. Got any more questions?"

                "Yes I do, as a matter of fact. Are you searching for more than Yun Sung?"

                Mina was taken aback by this question, "What do you mean?"

                "Soul Edge... are you looking for it?" somehow Takharu could sense when people were aware of Soul Edge.

                "Yes," Mina did not lie. She just wasn't one to do that.

                "Thank you for being truthful," Takharu didn't really know how to react. There were indeed more people out there who wanted Soul Edge, "Is there anything you want to ask me?" she felt obliged to give Mina a chance to get some information for herself. Mina seemed like a trustworthy person.

                "Well... I suppose," Mina was a little shocked that Takharu offered to answer her questions, "Who are you? And how do you know Yun Sung?"

                "I am Takharu," she began. She went into the entire story of Yun Sung saving her.

                After she had finished talking, Mina looked a little confused, "That's not like Yun Sung at all," she commented.

                "What do you mean?" Takharu asked.

                "Yun Sung isn't the type of person who would just help some random person," Mina explained, "Back at home, he's known for being pretty ruthless."

                "Really?" he had been so kind to Takharu. She couldn't imagine him being ruthless... but then again, it seemed like he'd do anything just to get his hands on Soul Edge.

                Mina nodded, "Anyway... if I'm going to keep moving on, I'll need a new weapon," she looked down at the broken rod.

                Takharu blushed, "Sorry... Maybe breaking your weapon was a little harsh..."

                "It's no problem," Mina assured, "I'm sure there are shops around here that sell plenty of weapons."

                _"Yeah... and food... I'm still starved," Takharu thought. Of course, she didn't dare say it._

                "Why don't you come with me?" Mina asked, "I'll get a weapon, and then maybe we can get something to eat. I don't know about you, but I'm starved."

                "Sure," Takharu agreed calmly, "I'm pretty hungry, too," she didn't let Mina know what was really going on in her mind, _"Yay! Food! Mina's so kind. I'm so lucky I met her!"_ they walked through the alleys together. Mina got a new rod, and they both got some food to eat.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu and Mina were unaware that while they were fighting, Yun Sung had passed through that very town. But, he hadn't stayed long. He didn't want to waste any time – he continued on through desolate woods. _"Odd that I haven't seen Takharu," he figured that he should have passed her... which he did, but he didn't know that. Suddenly there was a rustling in the trees. Yun Sung looked around... no one in sight, "Who's there?" he called._

                A young girl stepped out from the trees, "You must be Yun Sung," she said, "I am Talim... I heard that you're searching for Soul Edge."

                "How did you know that?" Yun Sung asked.

                "I was travelling through Ayatthaya, and I understood that you passed there before me... searching for the 'Sword of Salvation'," Talim replied.

                "What's your point?"

                "I can't let you, or anyone else lay hands on that sword. It's evil. It will consume you," she explained.

                "I don't care. I don't believe the stories that say Soul Edge is evil. My culture knows it as a sword that will save us, and I believe my people more than some stranger," Yun Sung began walking again.

                "But I've experienced the evil first hand. Listen to me!" Talim followed him, "I do not just say something this serious for fun... you have to understand!"

                "Tell it to someone who cares."

                "Very well..." Talim appeared to be giving up, "But before you reach Soul Edge, your mind will be changed."

                "Whatever..." Yun Sung kept walking. He wasn't afraid of what this girl had to say. A quest is a quest. He didn't even think of stopping... not now.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Did you enjoy your food?" Mina asked.

                Takharu nodded, "Yes. Thank you very much for buying it."

                "No big deal," Mina said, "Where are you headed to from here?"

                "Forward," Takharu answered, "Wherever that ends up being."

                "Well, I'm going to try to find Yun Sung and get him to go back home. After that, I'll continue looking for the Sword of Salvation. Goodbye until we meet again."

                "Farewell," Takharu and Mina went their separate directions, but their goals were the same. Eventually their journeys would lead them to Soul Edge... and they would battle once again.

*~* End of Chapter 3 *~*

Ah! My disk has no more room! I need another one! Wait... I have another one... Yay! Ahem... anyway... I guess it's weird to read my crazy author's notes after reading a chapter from a serious story, eh? Well, what did you think of that chapter? I think I did a pretty good job! *nod nod* But... that's my opinion. What's your's?? Review and let me know, please!


	4. One Step Forward

All right, time to start typing the next chapter of Fate & Destiny! ^_^ I don't really have much to say, since there were no reviews on the last chapter because I posted this chapter at the same time as the last one! Read on!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 4 – One Step Forward *~*

                Yun Sung wandered along a desolate path, in the middle of nowhere, _"Well... at least there's no one to get in my way,"_ he thought. He'd been wandering along this same path all day. There was no sign of any people... no sign of any other creatures... but most importantly, no sign of any shards of Soul Edge. Yun Sung sighed, _"Man... where the hell could this sword be?"_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu had been wandering aimlessly as well; however the route she was taking was much longer than the one Yun Sung had chosen. It was Takharu's first time out of Egypt, and so she no idea where anything was, or where she was going.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Yun Sung!" a familiar voice called behind him.

                Yun Sung stopped walking, but didn't bother to turn around, "Mina... leave me alone."

                "You want me to leave you alone? You're butting into other people's business! The Sword of Salvation is none of your concern, Yun Sung," said Mina.

                "Then I'll make it my concern!" Yun Sung turned around, "Listen... Hwang didn't take notice to my challenge, so if I find the Sword of Salvation he'll take me seriously. All I have to do is succeed in what he failed."

                "You think that that's why he didn't care about your challenge!?" Mina shouted, "In case you haven't noticed, the country's in turmoil! Hwang doesn't have the time to fight you now!"

                "He can spare a couple minutes of his time," he commented stubbornly.

                "I can't believe you..." Mina shook her head slowly, "How can you be so heartless?"

                "I don't know, but it's how I am," Yun Sung said proudly.

                "Is it really? Or do you just not want to admit there's more to you than being ruthless?"

                Yun Sung retorted, "What do you mean?"

                "I talked to Takharu," she smirked, "I've got your number. You do care – you just don't want to admit it."

                "Yeah, right," Yun Sung turned away, "That was nothing. I **still** intend on getting the sword to show Hwang... to show _everyone_ my powers."

                "I think you want the sword more to help the country, than to battle."

                "Shows what you know," he turned back to her, "I only want it to battle Hwang... nothing more."

                "Well, then..." Mina began, "**I'll** just have to get the sword to save the country then."

                "What!?" Yun Sung exclaimed, "I thought you were only here to get me to go back home!"

                "You were wrong," Mina said coolly, "I want the sword, too," she held out a fragment of Soul Edge.

                "Give me that shard," Yun Sung commanded.

                "You can't tell me what to do," she clasped her hand around the fragment, "If anything, I should be forcing you to go home. Then again... it'll be fun to have more of a challenge on the road to Soul Edge."

                _"Competition is anything but fun,"_ Yun Sung thought, _"It's bad enough I have to compete with Takharu... but now Mina. And then there's also that Talim girl to worry about."_

                "What's the matter? Out of smart comments?" Mina teased.

                "You wish!" he snapped, "I don't have time for this! I'm out of here," he turned and began walking away.

                "You do realize that we're both going in the same direction, don't you?" Mina asked.

                "Then stay a distance away from me," Yun Sung answered quickly.

                "All right," she agreed, "I'll stay a distance ahead of you!" Mina ran ahead of Yun Sung.

                "Wait!!" Yun Sung called after her, "Aw... damn. I need to catch up," he ran after her. They were in a race for Soul Edge.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                _"I should have stayed with Mina..."_ Takharu thought to herself, _"I have no idea where I am..."_ Night was approaching... it was beginning to get dark.

                "You look lost," a deep voice said from behind her.

                Takharu stopped for moment... stopped completely... _"I feel the same evil presence as when I held the shard that broke of my sword."_

                "Give me your piece of Soul Edge, or else I will take it from you by force."

                Takharu broke free from the force that kept her from moving; she turned around and saw a knight. He held a great sword in his hands... but oddly... this sword had an eye, "What are you!?"

                "I am Nightmare... the sole possessor of Soul Edge," he replied, "This is the end of your journey. Now it's time for you to choose how your journey ends," Takharu stared in fright, "You can either hand over the shard and return home... like none of this ever happened. Or... you can go against my desires, and I'll kill you!"

                _"I can't give the sword to him. I'll still end up dying if I do... the world will become a giant hellfire if he gains the complete Soul Edge!" _Takharu suddenly felt the same rage inside of her that she had felt before she murdered her fiancé, "You kill me? That's hilarious! You're just as weak as anyone else. That sword makes no difference when you can't handle it."

                Nightmare sneered at her remark, "Pathetic... you say **I** can't handle this sword. Look at yourself... you can't even handle the one shard. It's driving you mad."

                _"It's true..."_ Takharu recalled all the times she had been around other people since finding the shard. Her fiancé... Mina... she fought them both. But what about Yun Sung? She never even thought of fighting him...

                "Your mind is too weak... just like Siegfried's. Look what I've done to him," Nightmare held his arms out, showing what he had done to the body he was controlling.

                "You're not human..." Takharu observed, "You're the sword! You're controlling him!"

                "Well done. You've found me out," Nightmare said, "Though it's nothing to worry about... as you'll be dead in a moment, anyway," he pointed his sword at Takharu.

                "In your dreams..." she murmured, "I'm not going down without a fight!" she slashed at Nightmare.

                "A sad effort," he wasn't even phased by her attacks, "My armour cannot be penetrated."

                _"That's what Mina said about her rod... but I proved otherwise,"_ she smirked, "Everything has a weak point, Nightmare," she shifted to the left and slashed Nightmare's arm, "And the weaknesses of armour aren't so tough to find!"

                Nightmare fell to his knees, clutching his bleeding wound, "Do you think this will stop me?" he asked, with a dark grin on his face, "You haven't seen the last of me," he slowly got to his feet, then turned and walked away.

                Takharu breathed heavily, _"I won... I beat the wielder of Soul Edge... but is it going to be that easy all along?"_ she sat on the ground, _"I'm too tired to go any further tonight. I'll just rest here..." _she lay down and went to sleep.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Yun Sung, however, was still moving forward, "Mina... can't you slow down?"

                "No," she replied, "Why should I? I want to be ahead of you."

                Yun Sung groaned, "Are you ever going to rest tonight?"

                "We'll see," Mina smiled, "But I still have loads of energy to keep going!"

                "Mina!" Yun Sung complained, "Can't you give **me **a break!?"

                "You can stop at anytime," she insisted, "I'll just keep going."

                "No way! I'm not letting you get ahead of me!"

                "Then don't complain," Mina insisted.

                "Fine!" Yun Sung closed his eyes, and continued walking. Ignoring any comment that Mina may have.

Mina just shook her head and laughed softly, _"That kid..."_

Eventually, they both gave into their tired minds, and went to sleep.

*~* End of Chapter 4 *~*

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**Huzzah! That was fun to write! I'll get the next chapter posted as soon as I can... but who knows how long that'll be since I go back to school tomorrow? --.---Well, please review and let me know how you think things are coming along in my fic! ^_^**


	5. Endless Evil

**OK... I'm going to try to put in a bit more description in this chapter. Anyway... oh yeah! I forgot to mention that this story will be linked with magicruler32690's((AKA: Magicka)) story, Soul Calibur 2: Souls of the Neverending Fate!**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 5 – Endless Evil*~*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                _Standing alone in the ruins of Soul Edge's battle with Soul Calibur... Yun Sung had nearly reached the end of his journey. He smiled triumphantly. Soul Edge was his; but just as he was about to step forward, and meet his final challenge... he could hear the footsteps of another approaching. He quickly turned around, and saw who it was – Takharu. Once again, they were meeting... but the conditions were less friendly. They did not greet each other... but simply drew their weapons... they knew what fate approached them. Coming full force at each other... no holding back. Takharu held her blade forward, and charged at Yun Sung... but as she came in striking distance she stopped. Dropping her weapon to the ground, and falling to her knees. Tears streaming down her face... she looked up at Yun Sung, who was towering over her. She gave him a look as if to say, "Please... don't go. I can't harm you." Yun Sung had to make a final decision then and there... would he go forward for Soul Edge? Or grant Takharu's wishes? Throughout his entire journey, Yun Sung had never needed to make a decision so large. His head told him to go and get Soul Edge... protect his country. But his heart told him to stay by Takharu's side..._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Yun Sung sat up, "What?" he looked around. It was just a dream...

                "Dreaming?" Mina was sitting nearby, wrapping bandages around the few minor wounds she had acquired while battling Takharu.

                "Yeah..." Yun Sung rubbed his eyes, "...dreaming."

                Mina tied the ends of her bandages, "You're really out of it."

                "What?" Yun Sung shook his head, snapping out of his trance. He remembered now... he was with Mina. They were searching for Soul Edge, "Why are you still here?"

                "I felt guilty about leaving you behind," Mina replied.

                "Thanks, then," he said in monotone. He was still thinking about his dream in the back of his mind.

                Mina waved her hand in front of Yun Sung's face, "Yoohoo! Are you paying attention to me?"

                "Sure," Yun Sung went along with whatever she said.

                "Yun Sung! What the heck were you dreaming about?"

                "Nothing important," he answered, for once knowing what he was saying... but not necessary telling the truth.

                Mina sighed, "You're hopeless... do you know that?"

                "I resent that!" Yun Sung was finally acting like himself completely. 

                "Then prove to me that you're not. Tell me what you dreamt about," Mina urged Yun Sung to explain.

                "Fine!" he finally agreed, "But it's nothing important. I just dreamt that I was finally nearing the Sword of Salvation, but I ran into Takharu who I had to battle. We fought, she stopped and I had to decide whether to stay or go forward. The end."

                "Did you want to stay with her?" Mina asked.

                Yun Sung hesitated... he didn't really know the answer, "Sort of... I can't really tell what I feel in my dreams."

                "All right... so you don't want to co-operate with me. That's fine. Let's just go," she sighed again, and picked up her rod and began walking. Yun Sung remained silent, and followed her.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu had been awake for a few hours longer than Yun Sung and Mina... but she was still behind them, _"Is what Nightmare said true? If I get up to Soul Edge will it take control of me? No. It won't happen. I won't turn back. I've come too far," _she tightened her grip on the shard of Soul Edge in her hand. She could feel it pulsating faintly, _"Is the sword near? Or is it another shard?"_ Most likely another shard. She was finally back on the path... so there must be other people nearby who are searching for the sword.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Where are we, Mina?" Yun Sung had never been in this area before.

                Mina was quiet for a moment, "I'm not sure... but we'll figure it out soon enough."

                Yun Sung didn't have any reply to her answer. So they continued on in silence again, until, "Do you hear that?"

                "Hear what?" Mina turned around and looked at Yun Sung.

                "Ssh!" he covered her mouth with his right hand, while holding White Storm in the other. They could hear a low 'whooshing' sound. It was like a sort of spell... or black magic. Their eyes wandered... but no one could be seen in their eyes. They remained silent... in fear they would be seen.

                "Don't think you're not visible to me," a rough voice said from above, "You're not concealed at all, you fools."

                They quickly looked up, to spot a ghostly figure standing on the branch of a tree, "What are you!?" Yun Sung stepped forward, "Show yourself!"

                "Very well," the creature agreed. It leaped down from the tree, and landed in front of them, "I am Cervantes. And you both have something I want."

                "And what would that be?" Yun Sung questioned.

                "I'm certain you know," Cervantes assured with a soulless glint in his eyes, "I am here for your shards of Soul Edge. I have already acquired several with the help of my apprentice. If you refuse to hand them over... you will suffer the same fate of those who our shards are from."

                "That fate would be...?" Yun Sung asked... drawing his sword and preparing for the worst.

                "Well, that may vary," he paced back and forth, stroking his chin, "Perhaps you will be sent into a coma... or maybe immediate death will be more appropriate... either way..." he raised his hands, and two swords flew into them, "... the shards will be mine."

                "We'll see about that!" Yun Sung charged at Cervantes with his sword.

                Cervantes sneered at his weak attempt, "Pitiful! You cannot destroy me! For only the living can be killed!" he clutched Yun Sung by his throat, and held him in above the ground. Gripping one of his swords in his other hand, Cervantes held it up, prepared to strike. Suddenly... he stopped. Cervantes looked Yun Sung straight in the eyes, "There are things to attend to. Do not get in my way again. Next time you will not be so lucky!" he tossed Yun Sung to the ground, and then vanished into thin air.

                "Yun Sung! Are you all right?" Mina knelt down by Yun Sung.

                "I'm fine..." he sat up slowly, "Ugh... why did he leave?"

                "I don't know," Mina said in a confused tone, "He looked like he was about to kill you... maybe he can notice things we can't... since he's dead."

                Yun Sung rubbed his throat, which was still in pain, "I don't understand. How can he be dead?"

                She shrugged, "I have no idea. But it isn't a good thing. We can't kill him if he's already deceased."

                "I don't get why he didn't take the shard before he went..."

                "Something weird is going on... and while we have these shards, we're in the middle of it," Mina observed.

                "But do we need the rest of the shards?" Yun Sung asked.

                Mina ran her fingers through her hair, "Maybe... or it could be that once someone arrives at the remainder of Soul Edge's location, it reforms on its own."

                "I hope," Yun Sung commented, "I don't feel like going around and looking for all the shards."

                "Lazy..." Mina rolled her eyes.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Soul Edge was pulsating even stronger and quicker... as was Takharu's heart, _"Who could it be? Why are they here? What do they want with **me**?" _she had so many questions rushing through her mind, _"I feel that evil again... He's back..."_

                "Are you ready to hand over that shard yet?"  Nightmare's voice struck fear in Takharu's heart.

                She shivered, "N-n-no..." Takharu managed to stutter. 

                "You're so irritating!" Nightmare clenched his scaly claw, "You'd think people would learn to fear my power!" he held Soul Edge above his head, preparing to strike.

                Takharu closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I wouldn't advise that you fight me," her voice sounded calm and steady.

                "And why not?" Nightmare's voice grew deeper and darker.

                Takharu swallowed her fear, "Because this time I'll do more than give you a paper cut!"

                Nightmare growled under his breath, "Is that so? You and your weak blade pose no threat to me!" he swung his mighty sword at Takharu, which clashed against the ground causing a huge cloud of dirt to fly into the air, "Hm...  Too bad. She was such a nice girl. But nice won't get you anywhere in this quest..."

                "On the contrary, it's gotten me this far!" the dust cleared away to reveal Takharu standing beside Soul Edge without a scratch on her, "But you also need wits in this world."

                "I missed?!" Nightmare shouted, "How could I have missed!?" he leaned against his great sword.

                Takharu grinned, "It must be hard to control a blade so large... I'll stick to the blade the gods entrusted me with," she held her sword above her, and slashed at Nightmare vertically. Nightmare caught the blade in between his hands.

                "Not a wise choice," he pushed forward on the blade, knocking Takharu down, "But you've made your point: You're not one to mess with. It won't be stopping me, however... by the end of this... Soul Edge will be mine!" he walked back in the direction that he came from.

                Takharu heaved a sigh, _"I know I'll be seeing him again soon..."_ and so she continued along the path... _"No turning back..." _she kept saying over in her mind, _"I have to go forward..."_

*~* End of Chapter 5 *~*

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I'm pleased with how this chapter went! ^_^ But... that's me... and maybe it's just me. What do you think? Please review and let me know how I can make it better! Or... just review! I like reviews! ^.~ 


	6. More Than You Realize

All right... just letting you know that the beginning on this chapter will be WAY more clear if you've read Magicka's story ((Soul Calibur 2: Souls of the Neverending Fate)), considering it's directly linked to the ending of his last chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.

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Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 6 – More Than You Realize*~*

                Takharu stared blankly at the middle-aged man before her, "What do you want with me?" she asked in reply to his greeting.

                "Does it matter?" he smirked, "Either way we will end up duelling, so it's best we don't waste any time, ma chère."

                She frowned at his insolent comment, "You'd think someone your age would learn the concept of respect," she drew the blade of Ra, "But not everyone understands these things... so let's go!"

                "Very well. It's about time you agree," he closed his eyes, with a calm grin on his face. He drew Flambert and held it out in front of him, "En guarde!" their swords clashed in what was more like fencing, than an ideal sword fight. Takharu was at a disadvantage due to the fact that her sword was much heavier than the lean Flambert used by her opponent. The man was able to more much quicker than her, and land more attacks. Takharu hardly got a chance to return the damage... she was too busy trying to avoid getting injured, with little success. Her opponent pulled back for a moment, then stepped forward and slashed Takharu's shoulder. Shock and pain filled Takharu's eyes, as she realized what had happened. Blood was surging from the wound... she could barely feel her lower arm... it was like all of her feeling was being turned into the pain of her shoulder. She clutched the wound, and fell to her knees. She didn't scream... she closed her eyes and kept her pain to herself.

                "You're weak..." the man held his sword over Takharu, "Now hand over your shard of Soul Edge, or else I **will** kill you."

                Takharu looked up, "So that's what you wanted? Soul Edge?" a weak smile crossed her face, "Well... maybe you had the right not to tell me in the first place... since I wouldn't have surrendered it... and I still won't," she thrust her blade into the ground and pushed onto it to help get to her feet. She kept her balance, and pulled the sword from the ground, "Now leave me alone!" she slashed horizontally at the man, cutting slightly into his side.

                He glared at Takharu with a very pissed-off tone, "Why you..." he coughed, causing blood to gush from his mouth, "Hand me Soul Edge..." he breathed heavily.

                "Maybe I'll consider it if you tell me your name," Takharu pushed the man to explain himself.

                "Fine," he agreed, "I am Raphael. Now consider it... and give it to me."

                Takharu appeared to ponder for a moment, "No," she raised her healthy arm, and let her elbow fall onto Raphael's head, knocking him unconscious. Takharu knelt by Raphael, and searched him for his fragment of Soul Edge. When she found it, she put it with her other piece and took a deep breath. She then looked at the gash in her shoulder, back at the direction she came from, and then forward. _"Great... I'm bleeding like crazy and there are no towns in sight..."_ she sighed, _"I'd better start walking..."_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Do you think that Cervantes guy will be come back soon?" Yun Sung asked Mina, as they continued along the same path.

                Mina shrugged, "Who cares? We'll be ready for him next time."

                "Right..." Yun Sung twirled White Storm out of boredom, "How far 'til the next village?"

                "I told you... I don't know where we are," Mina replied.

                Yun Sung rolled his eyes, "Great..."

                "Actually..." Mina began, "I'm thinking we'll be at the next town by sunset."

                "Why do you say that?" Yun Sung looked confused.

                Mina shielded her eyes from the sun, as she looked ahead, "Because I can see a town."

                "Oh... That makes sense," Yun Sung felt a little stupid. Mina just laughed and they continued walking.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu trudged along the path... it felt like she had been walking for days, when it had only been a few hours, _"I feel faint..."_ Takharu wiped the sweat off of her forehead, _"I can't... continue... so dizzy..." _her eyes closed, and with a groan of pain she collapsed to the ground.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Yun Sung and Mina had finally arrived at the town. It was around a half hour before the sun was to set... just as Mina had predicted, "Do you think we can stay in an inn tonight?" Yun Sung complained to Mina. He wasn't well adapted to the warrior lifestyle.

                "You're so high-maintenance," Mina teased, "Get used to this life, or go home."

                "No!" Yun Sung refused, once again, to go home.

                Mina sighed, "Well... it was worth a try. Come on. Let's find a motel."

                Yun Sung smiled triumphantly, "Good," they both began a search for an inn worthy of their tastes.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu's unconsciousness has become a natural slumber as she lay on the bed in an unknown location, "Yun Sung..." she turned in her sleep, while muttering words that linked to her dreams.

                "Wake up," a frail voice urged Takharu to awake, "If you're well enough to dream, you're well enough to walk."

                Takharu's eyes fluttered open to see an old woman standing beside her. She sat up in the bed and looked around blankly, _"Where am I?"_

                "Come now... speak!" the woman said with vigour in her voice, "I know you can! I heard that chitchat in your sleep!"

                "Chitchat?" Takharu's face turned red, _"What did I say?"_ she looked down, avoiding eye contact.

                The elder woman chuckled, "You were just muttering some name... but it wasn't yours. So who are you?"

                "Takharu," she replied, still looking down, _"Was I saying Yun Sung?"_

                "Look at me when you talk! It's impolite not to look me in the eye. Makes me think you're lying..."

                Takharu looked up at the woman, "I'm not," she assured, "I'm just thinking. My apologies."

                "Quite all right," the woman smiled, "I was young once, too. I know what it's like to experience love."

                "Love?!" Takharu was taken aback by this comment, "Oh, no... I'm not in..."

                "Of course you're not," the woman winked, "Don't worry over it, Takharu."

                Takharu had never felt more humiliated, _"Why? **Why** did I have to talk in my sleep? Wait... why am I here? She still hasn't told me..."_she looked at her injured shoulder to discover that it had been wrapped in bandages. She reached for it with her opposite hand, but felt a sharp sting as she touched it, "Ugh..." Takharu retracted her hand.

                "You shouldn't touch that!" the woman snapped, "It'll just make it worse!"

                "I'm sorry..." Takharu said meekly.

                The woman sighed, "It's all right. Perhaps I just care too much about all you kids who go getting yourselves into trouble..."

                "What do you mean?" Takharu asked.

                "My name is Estrilda. As you can tell, I live alone in this house. I am a woman healer with no one to heal... so I wander the paths of the outskirts of town, looking for injured warriors," she replied.

                "So that's why you helped me... you have no one to care for anymore..."

                Estrilda nodded in agreement with the statement, "It's true. I'm quite alone nowadays... so I took the courtesy of aiding you when I found you unconscious."

                "Did you see a middle aged man out there?" Takharu wondered what had happened to Raphael.

                "No, I didn't... why?"

                "I believe I may have gravely injured the opponent that did this to me... and I can't help but feel a little bad..." Takharu had shame in her voice.

                Estrilda frowned, "Perhaps I should go back and find him... I can't leave someone out there to die... Will you be all right alone?"

                Takharu got up off of the bed, "I'll be fine... in fact, I'm going to continue now."

                "There's no point in it. The sun's already set, so you may as well stay the night," Estrilda convinced her to rest more.

                "All right," Takharu agreed, "But I will be leaving first thing in the morning."

                Estrilda nodded, "Very well. Now you get some shuteye. I'm going to try and find that man. Good night, Takharu," she walked towards the door.

                Takharu yawned, "Good night, Estrilda," she lay back down in the bed, and went to sleep.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Meanwhile, Yun Sung and Mina had just gotten a room in a motel, and were settling in the room, "You're going to be gone in the morning, aren't you?" Yun Sung asked in a surprisingly serious tone. 

                Mina was silent for a moment, "I'm sorry, Yun Sung."

                "I understand," he said, "But don't think I don't try to catch up as soon as I get up."

                Mina smiled slightly,  "Good luck. You'll need it!"

                "Yeah, right!" Yun Sung leaned against the wall, "You're the one who'll need luck."

                Mina's smiled turned into a huge grin, "I'll show you!"

                "You'd like it if you could beat me to Soul Edge, eh?" Yun Sung joked. He pushed against the wall with his foot to move forward.

                Mina laughed, "Be quiet!" she shoved him lightly, "If you think you can beat me, then you'd better get to sleep so you can get up early!"

                "Early?" Yun Sung acted confused, "Dammit! And here I thought sleeping in would help me get ahead..."

                "Well, I'm going to bed. Good night, Yun Sung!" Mina walked over to the other side of the room and plopped herself on a bed.

                Yun Sung sat on the bed nearest to him, "'Night, Mina."

                That would be the last night they spent travelling together on the journey for Soul Edge...

*~* End of Chapter 6 *~*

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**I kind of like that chapter... I'd say I did OK! But what do you think? I'm tired now, so I'm going to sleep! Hm... It seems whenever it's night here, I write a chapter where the characters go to sleep. *ponders for a moment* Well, please review to let me know what you think! ^_^ .….. Z_Z**


	7. Return of Greatest Rivals

Sorry it took me a while to post this chapter! You're all lucky that my friend has been pestering me to update since she read this story. ^.~ Well, here we go – Chapter 7!

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.**

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Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 7 – Return of Greatest Rivals*~*

                Yun Sung awoke late the next morning to an empty room, "So Mina left..."he thought aloud, "Well... I'd better get going, too," he got out of bed, gathered his things and immediately set out once again.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu had woken up quite a while ago, but she hesitated to leave... Estrilda still wasn't home, and she was worried that some harm had come to her. She sighed,  _"I can't wait any longer... I have to leave now,"_ she grasped her sword, and left. Before Takharu continued through the town, she looked far in each direction, _"No Estrilda...no Mina...no Yun Sung,"_ whether she wanted to admit it or not, she didn't want to leave everyone behind... she didn't want to continue alone. She wanted someone by her side, _"Allies become rivals,"_ she thought to herself, _"I have to do this alone..."_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                _"Man... it's way to quiet without Mina around," _Yun Sung thought as he wandered outside of the town, _"I thought that a little peace would be a good thing..."_

                "It's about time I've found you again!" a voice from behind Yun Sung said.

                "So **you're **back?" Yun Sung instantly recognized Talim's voice, "Listen, I've heard your preaching about the 'evil sword' and I don't care!"

                "But..."

                "How many times do I have to tell you? **I don't care**!" Yun Sung snapped at Talim.

                Talim looked at him with a pleading look in her large, brown eyes, "You don't understand! Soul Edge won't only harm you; it will bring the apocalypse, as it nearly did seven years ago!"

                "So?"

                "Please, I do not wish to argue with you," irritation could be heard forming in Talim's voice.

                "Then leave me alone, and we won't have to argue," Yun Sung sneered.

                Talim held Loka Luha and Syi Salika in front herself, "If I defeat you, will you at least listen to what I have to say?"

                Yun Sung groaned, "Fine! But if I win, you have to leave me alone!"

                "Agreed."

                "Let's go!" Yun Sung drew White Storm and prepared for battle, _"I don't know what advantages elbow swords give...I have to be careful."_

Without any delay, Talim took to the offence.  She instantaneously slashed at Yun Sung, switching her attacking arm each time. Yun Sung didn't have any time to counter the assault, he couldn't risk letting down his guard. _"I have to get this just right..."_ Yun Sung pondered his strategy. He had just blocked one of Talim's attacks when he put his plan into action. He ducked down and tripped Talim; she fell to the ground, and Yun Sung towered over her. He held his sword over Talim, "Ready to give up?"

                Talim considered Yun Sung's question, "No!" she replied. Talim kicked White Storm out of Yun Sung's hands, and quickly got to her feet. She held Loka Luha up to Yun Sung's throat, "I think this means that I won."

                Yun Sung's eyes shifted downward to the sword at his neck. _"I lost..."_ he closed his eyes, "All right... you won. Go ahead and tell me about the sword."

                "Finally," Talim pulled her sword away from Yun Sung, "Now... please, listen carefully."

                "Yeah, yeah. I'm listening."

                "From the information I have gathered, seven years ago, there was a great battle between the wielder of Soul Edge and a legendary sword called Soul Calibur. Soul Edge was threatening to turn the world into an inferno with its evil powers. Soul Calibur prevailed in the battle, and Soul Edge was destroyed. It was shattered into many pieces, which were scattered across the earth. I have a shard, you have a shard... and I know of others, too. Anyone who carries a shard is in danger... and that danger will increase if they reach Soul Edge! If you continue and get to Soul Edge, then the same threat from seven years ago will return! The entire world will be doomed!" she explained, "Don't go on!"

                "So you're done your explanation?" Yun Sung asked. 

                "Yes..."

                "OK then. I'll be going now," he turned and continued walking.

                "Yun Sung!!" Talim yelled, "How can you just carry on after learning this!?"

                "Quite simply. I just don't believe it," Yun Sung answered while continuing along the path, "It's the same story as the last time we met – You think it's evil, I think it's going to save my country."

                Talim ran in front of him, and held her arms out, blocking his path, "Open your eyes! Soul Edge brings nothing but death and demise!!" 

                "No! Open **your** eyes! We see differently! Deal with it, and leave me be!" he stepped forward and shoved her out of his way.

                "At least think about turning back!" she shouted after him.

                "This conversation is over!" he said in reply.

                Talim shook her head, turned away from the path and ran off.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                _Badum... badum..._ the fragment of Soul Edge was pulsating again, _"Oh no..." _Takharu looked around frantically, "Where are you!? Come out, Nightmare!!"

                "Heh, heh, heh..." a low laughter was heard, "Perhaps you're learning to control Soul Edge's powers more and more... or maybe it is controlling you."

                "Why do you keep following me? I know you want Soul Edge, but why me? Are there no other people that you can go after?" Takharu fired question after question at Nightmare.

                "Why it's simple," Nightmare replied, "Yours was the first piece I homed in on."   

                "What does that mean?"

                "My... you're burning with questions, aren't you?" Nightmare was getting frustrated, "What does it matter? The bottom line is that I intend on getting Soul Edge!"

                "No! Tell me what you mean!!" Takharu insisted.

                Nightmare cackled under his breath, "You see... I was wandering outside of Egypt when a little bird told me that a piece of Soul Edge was in your village. Of course, I didn't know the exact location... so I had to tear apart every home and all inside of them."

                Takharu froze, "You... couldn't have..."

                "Yes. It was I who murdered your family, Takharu," a dark grin crossed his face.

                "You monster!!" she screamed; tears forming in her eyes, "How could you!? It's **your** fault I'm here! **You** ruined my life!!" she clutched the blade of Ra, and charged at him, releasing all of her fury into her sword.

                Nightmare held Soul Edge in front of himself, blocking her attack... but it took a lot of his strength to hold it off, _"She was never this strong before,"_ he observed, "But you're still not strong enough!!" he pushed forward on Soul Edge, as he had done in their previous battle... but this time, Takharu did not fall back, "What's going on!? How are you withstanding my attack!?"__

"The power of the human spirit can be very strong... but I guess you wouldn't realize that, since all of the human in you has been pushed back by Soul Edge!" she sliced Soul Edge vertically, knocking it out of Nightmare's hands, _"I've been too easy on Nightmare... I **have** to defeat him **now**!"_ she made an attempt to pierce Nightmare's heart, but he shifted to the left, causing her to stab his right arm. A greenish ooze poured from the gash on his arm.

                "Damn you!" he hollered, "I will destroy you!!" he reached for Soul Edge with his healthy arm, but before he even grasped its hilt, Takharu had fled.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                _"'The entire world will be doomed,'"_ Talim's words haunted Yun Sung's thoughts, _"The world... that includes everyone in it. What if Talim's right? What if the world is basically destroyed because of **my** actions? No... I can't think like that. I've come too far. Either way, there are others out there who are looking for the sword. So if I don't get it, someone else will. So that's that," _Yun Sung had made his final decision. He **would** go on. He **would** obtain Soul Edge...

*~* End of Chapter 7 *~*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Hip hip, HOORAY! Uh... yeah... Did you like it?? PLEASE review and tell me what you think! I would add more to this chapter... but I'm tired, so too bad! ^_^U**


	8. Further for Information

**Meep! I made a mistake in the last chapter! Soul Edge's battle took place four years ago, not seven. (*thinks* Man... I think I've been playing too much Ocarina of Time...) Anyway... here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots, but Takharu was created by me.**

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 8 – Further for Information *~*

                Several weeks had passed since Takharu's encounter with Nightmare. And no more challengers seeking Soul Edge had appeared, _"A little peace away from all of the pursuers of Soul Edge is nice,"_ she thought to herself as she wandered along the coastline of the Sea of Japan. It was eerily deserted, considering the battles that the people of Japan were engaged in. Takharu stopped walking and gazed out at the water... she could faintly see a ship headed in her direction, "Perhaps a short trip to Japan is in order..." she continued her stroll along the waterside in hopes of finding the port that the ship was headed for.

{-----|~-~|-----}

                _"I should really remember to ask where the hell the Sword of Salvation would be next time I run into Talim..." Yun Sung had also had a quiet journey, but unlike Takharu, he wasn't pleased about it. "How can I find Soul Edge if I don't know where it is!?" he screamed, his voice echoing through the nearly deserted town. The few people around him turned from what they were doing and stared in confusion. __"All right... I also have to remember to keep a low profile... not everyone in the Ming Empire will be as clueless as these people..."_

                "So you know about Soul Edge, do you?" a woman who appeared a few years older than Yun Sung stood before him. She wore a sky blue shirt, and royal blue pants. Two strands of brown hair flowed gently in the wind, while the rest of her hair was cut short, "How's that?"

                _"Uh oh..." Yun Sung thought, __"Maybe they're not all clueless..."_

                "Are you going to answer me?" she asked, impatiently. 

                "Yeah," Yun Sung answered, "But what does it matter how I know about Soul Edge, anyway?"

                "It matters because you're butting into other people's lives!" she shouted, "Soul Edge doesn't concern you, or anyone else, so just quit while you're ahead!"

                "Who do you think you are, telling me what does and doesn't concern me?" aggravation grew in Yun Sung's voice.

                "I think that I'm the one who defeated Soul Edge four years ago!" she retorted, "I am Xianghua!"           

                Yun Sung was about to reply with a smart comment, but paused, _"Wait... **she** defeated Soul Edge?" his facial expression changed from a frown to a smile._

                "What are you smiling at?" Xianghua blinked in bafflement.

                "Where was Soul Edge defeated?" he asked.

                Xianghua scowled, "I told you before, Soul Edge is none of your business," at that moment, she chose to turn and walk away, ignoring any more questions that he had.

                "But if you're getting involved with Soul Edge again, won't you need its shards?"

                Xianghua stopped and turned back to him, "Do **you** have a fragment?" she asked.

                "Actually... this shard has nothing to do with you... so just forget about it," Yun Sung turned back the way he came.

                "Wait!" Xianghua called after him, "You have to give me your piece of Soul Edge! You don't understand..."

                Yun Sung stopped walking, "Why should I give it to you?" he seemed to be trying to start a fight.

                "I'll tell you what," Xianghua began, "I'll battle you for your fragment. But not here... we can't bring attention to ourselves..."

                "Fine," Yun Sung agreed.

                "Follow me. I know where we can go to fight."

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Do we have all of the cargo on the ship?" a Japanese man asked his crew member.

                "Yup," the other man replied, "It's a good thing some countries are still willing to trade with us without getting into a war."

                The first man laughed, "Yeah! Unlike those Korean bastards!"

                "Have you heard how things are going over there?" the second man asked.

                "Good for us!" they both boarded the ship, laughing.

                Takharu was hiding amongst the crates of goods onboard. She clenched her fists at the overconfident comments the men had said, _"Remain calm..."_ she told herself, _"You cannot give yourself away..." _There was a long ship ride ahead of her, and she couldn't be caught.

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "What is this place?" Yun Sung asked, observing the wreckage around him, which almost looked like it was once a castle.

                "Xiwei ruins," Xianghua replied, "Maybe I'll tell you more about them... if you win," she drew her sword and prepared for battle. 

                Yun Sung did the same, and the fight commenced. Xianghua twirled her blade tauntingly, and thrust it forward a few times, yet avoided contact with Yun Sung. "What? Are you too afraid to hit me?" Yun Sung teased her.

                Xianghua smirked, "In your dreams! The real challenge is yet to come!" she gripped his arm and twisted it behind his back, then tripped him with her nameless blade. Yun Sung quickly got back to his feet... it was his turn to go on the offensive. He rose White Storm and sent a fury of attack towards Xianghua, who was remarkably able to block the majority of his attacks...

{-----|~-~|-----}

                The ship slowly came to a stop at the port of Japan... however; the crew did not seem to be in any rush to disembark, _"Oh great..." _Takharu thought, _"I'm going to have to sneak out with those fools everywhere..."_ she sighed, then got to her feet. Takharu sidled along the large crates, and peered around every corner to be sure that there were no sailors there. Once she was out of the cargo hold, she had to be quick to get off of the ship. It was actually rather simple... for most of the sailors were too busy getting drunk to even notice an extra passenger.

                As soon as she escaped the ship, she began to explore the area she was in, _"Maybe I should have put more thought into coming here... what are the chances this will aid me to find Soul Edge?"_

                Just then, two villagers walked by in conversation, "Did you hear about Kaminoi castle?"

                "Yeah. Do you believe that there are actually ghosts around that place?"

                "Originally, no... but lately people are saying that they can hear something moving around up there. I'd go and see for myself, but I'm not about to risk it all."

                _"A haunted castle..." Takharu pondered, __"Well, perhaps visiting it would be worth my time," she looked around the area, and clearly noticed a castle atop a hill across the town. Without hesitation, she set out to Kaminoi castle._

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Come on..." Yun Sung struggled to break through Xianghua's defenses.

                Xianghua laughed at his attempts. She stepped to the left, taking her sword from under White Storm, causing Yun Sung to fall forward. "Time to end this!" Xianghua said, she closed her eyes and seemed to pour her spirit into her sword. The blade appeared to burst into flames as she swung it at Yun Sung. He rolled out of its way at the last minute, and stood up.

                _"How did she do that!?" he thought in terror. It seemed so unnatural, _"Am **I capable of doing that, too?"**__

                "Are you frightened?" Xianghua tormented Yun Sung, knowing that she had the upper hand.

                "You wish!" he stepped back a few steps and imitated Xianghua when she had used that awesome attack,_ "This is worth a try..." _he began to feel a surge of strength passing through his blade, "Now!" he shouted. His blade blazed in the same way his opponent's had. He leaped into the air, and lashed White Storm at Xianghua. She knew what was coming... now it was a matter of whether she could hold it off. The force of Yun Sung's sword was too great for her. She was knocked down, and left at Yun Sung's mercy... lucky for her, he had enough to let her live. Yun Sung held White Storm at his side, and held out his hand to help Xianghua up.

                She ignored his assistance and got up on her own. Xianghua turned away and began to walk back in the direction that they came from.

                "Where do you think you're going?" Yun Sung was irritated by the fact that she was just going to walk away.

                Xianghua stopped walking, "Home," she lied, "Maybe I should just forget about Soul Edge."

                "Then why don't you give me your shard?"

                Xianghua sighed, "Because I don't want you to find Soul Edge."

                "Why not?" Yun Sung persisted. He knew that there was more.

                "Listen to me! I have to defeat Soul Edge! I've done it before, and I'll do it again!" she exclaimed.

                "Why do you know to defeat it again? If it's gone, it's gone," he didn't really understand.

                "It's back," she answered, "And now I have to rid it for good."

                "Fair enough," Yun Sung said, "But you still haven't explained a couple things to me... what happened to this place? And, where did you destroy Soul Edge the first time?"

                "The Emperor destroyed this place, looking for the Hero's Sword. In Ostrheinsburg Castle," she continued walking once again. This time, she would not turn back to answer Yun Sung's questions.

                "Thanks for the descriptive answers..." he muttered, _"Now all I have to do is find out where the hell Ostrheinsburg is..."_

{-----|~-~|-----}

                Cherry blossoms scattered in the breeze in Kaminoi Castle, _"This place doesn't look haunted at all," Takharu observed, __"It's so beautiful..." she held out her hand and caught a cherry blossom, "The villagers are just paranoid," she concluded aloud._

                A rustle was suddenly heard from the cherry trees surrounding Takharu. She looked up in alarm... nothing was there, "Just the wind..." she assured herself, but something wasn't normal... the rustling had just stopped. The wind was still blowing, but there was no sound. Takharu thought that she heard footsteps, however she was too fearful to turn around.

                "Greetings," said a woman's voice from behind her.

                Takharu took a deep breath and turned to see what awaited her... to her relief, it wasn't a ghost or evil spirit of any kind. It was a human. The woman looked in her late twenties. Her long, black hair was tied back in a high ponytail, and she wore a red body suit.

                "Well... will you not greet me?" she asked Takharu.

                "Hello..." Takharu said in reply, fear trembled in her voice.

                "What are you doing in a place like this?" the woman asked.

                Takharu thought for a moment, "No particular reason... I just wanted to see what this place was..."

                The woman shook her head and drew two ninja-swords, "There's something more... I can sense it."

                "What do you mean?" Takharu was slightly shocked. She didn't know what to expect for an answer.

                "Soul Edge," she looked straight into Takharu's eyes, "Mekki-Maru senses shards of Soul Edge."

                Takharu's eyes widened, _"How did she know?"_

                "Well?"

                Takharu drew the blade of Ra, "You can't take them..."

                "We shall see what I can and cannot do," she jumped into the air and seemed to vanish. 

Takharu scanned the area frantically, _"Where did she-"_ her thoughts were interrupted by the ninja dropping in. She slashed Takharu's back in an 'x' formation with her swords. Taken off guard, Takharu felt the full force of her enemy's attack.

"I am Taki," her adversary said at last, "The lone ninja. I'm certain that you also have reasons for wanting Soul Edge, but I look out for myself," she reached to steal the fragments from her fallen rival, but Takharu was still up for a fight. She rolled onto her back, and kicked Taki in the stomach. Takharu quickly stood up, and slammed Taki in the back with the hilt of her blade.

She immediately took Taki's shard of Soul Edge, and dashed back to the port for a lift back to the main land.

*~* End of Chapter 8 *~*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**@.@ That was longer than usual... Oh well! It's a good thing! I hope... what did you think? Please review!!!!**


	9. Emotions Revealed

OK... I'm writing more! Even though I'm not sure if anyone is reading this... o.0 *silence* Ah well... I'll just make BISM read it! *pokes BISM with a stick* Anyhoo... if you're reading this... uh... then read! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 9 – Emotions Revealed *~*

                Yun Sung had travelled far since he left the Ming Dynasty. He was now in the northern region of Pollux Plain, nearing Mira Mountains, still seeking information on Ostrheinsburg. No one seemed to know anything about it... or if they did, they were keeping it to themselves, _"Someone in this area better give me some useful information..."_ he thought to himself. Who would he meet in this town? Another rival in the search for Soul Edge? Or someone more than another foe? ...

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Three shards of Soul Edge at her hand... Takharu was gradually approaching the full sword of legend, _"Now it is was a matter of defeating all the others who possess fragments of Soul Edge..." _she sighed sadly, _"...no matter **who** holds the shard..." _Takharu looked around at all of the people in this town. It seemed full of more life than other places she had passed through. Taking in all of the faces around her, she recognized someone she would have never expected to see this far out, "Estrilda!!" she called to the elder woman, "Estrilda! What on earth are you doing here?"

                The woman turned around from the man she was speaking with, "Takharu! Oh my! I am so glad to see that you're safe! I was a tad worried when you left... even though I knew that you would!"

                Takharu smiled, "You had no need to worry," her eyes turned to the man Estrilda had been speaking with.

                "Oh! Of course!" Estrilda said, "This is an old friend of mine. From time-to-time I come up here to visit him. Of course, it's getting harder in my old age! Plus, there's you reckless kids to look after!" she laughed at her own comment.

                The man spoke, "A pleasure to meet you," he said, "I am the blacksmith of Castor. Lately I have been studying the powers of legendary metal pieces that are said to possess unimaginable power when forged in the correct way."

                _"'Legendary metal pieces?'"_ Takharu thought, "Do these pieces look anything like this?" she held out the shards of Soul Edge she had collected. 

                A look of astonishment crossed the man's face, "That... that can't be... it is... Soul Edge! You... how have you gathered these?"

                "Battles..." Takharu answered hesitantly.

                "Would you... think of giving these to me... not to keep... I would only wish to forge a blade out of them! I would give it to you... you have my word!"

                _"That's a huge thing to let go of..."_ Takharu reflected on the situation. She looked at Estrilda for advice... the woman nodded as if to say 'you can trust him'. "All right," Takharu concurred. She handed the fragments to the man, "I must warn you... take care when handling them."

                "I will! I will!" he spoke with the tone of a child who had just acquired a new toy, "I have read so much about them... I am aware of every possible thing that could happen!"

                _"So he thinks,"_ Takharu thought, "I trust you."

                "Takharu," Estrilda began, "You must be in need of rest. Come back to the blacksmith's and sleep a while before you continue on your quest."

                "Very well," she agreed, "Um... where is it?"

                "That doesn't matter," Estrilda pointed over to two horses attached to a wooden cart, "My horses know the way."

                "Oh," Takharu felt rather stupid, "Of course..."

                Estrilda chuckled, "Come on. Let's get going," she began walking toward the cart, followed by the blacksmith.

                Takharu trailed them from a distance... she felt like there was someone staring into her back. She turned around to see the person she had wanted to avoid; yet the one she desired to see the most, "Yun Sung..." she said softly.

                Yun Sung remained silent for a moment, "What are you doing here?" he had a cold look in his eyes. He seemed so different than the kind man who had saved Takharu...

                "I'm free to be where I wish... am I not?" she asked in a confused tone.

                "Fair enough," Yun Sung agreed. They were both quiet in their own thoughts, _"Why did **she** have to be here? Of all the people... her... I was hoping she'd failed at finding Soul Edge and returned home... I can't fight her... never..."_

_                "He's acting so bizarre... he was so nice before... what made him change? I couldn't believe Mina when she said, 'Back at home, he's known for being pretty ruthless', but it would seem that it **is** true."_

"Takharu!! What is taking you so long, child?!" Estrilda's voice interrupted their thoughts, "We must leave!!"             

                Takharu's eyes did not move from Yun Sung, "Come," she insisted, "We both have some things to discuss..." Yun Sung was not about to deny her claim, and so they walked toward Estrilda and her friend.

                "Who is this?" Estrilda looked at Yun Sung.

                "A friend..." Takharu replied, although she wasn't certain what he was to her, "Yun Sung."

                Estrilda immediately recognized the name from her first encounter with Takharu, "Of course..." she said to herself, "Well, let's not delay this any longer! You two can ride in the back of the cart. Come on!" she mounted into the front of the cart with the blacksmith, while Takharu and Yun Sung climbed into the back.

                "So..." Takharu commenced speaking.

                Yun Sung looked at her, "So... what?"

                "How has your search for Soul Edge been progressing?" Takharu asked.

                "All right... I guess..." Yun Sung looked down at Takharu's bandaged shoulder, "What happened to your shoulder?"

                "Just an injury from a battle..." she replied, "It's nothing, really."

                "It looks pretty painful," Yun Sung commented with a sense of compassion forming in his voice.

                "It was... but I hardly notice it anymore... Estrilda was the one who took care of my wound. That's how I met her," Takharu explained.

                "I see..."

                Neither spoke for the remainder of the ride. It wasn't long before they arrived at the blacksmith's home, "All right, you two," Estrilda began, "We're going to start working on Takharu's sword. You can do whatever you please... yet I suggest sleep, Takharu!"

                "Yes, Estrilda," Takharu spoke as a teenager reluctantly obeying their parents' commands.

                "There's some information I've been looking for..." Yun Sung broke in, "I'm going to go see if anyone in this town has it. I'll be back later," he walked back in the direction that they came.

                "It seems pointless that he even came here with us..." Estrilda stated.

                "I made him come," said Takharu, "But that doesn't matter... I'm going to relax a little," she headed toward the house.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Yun Sung took in the faces of the people around him, _"None of these people look like they'd know anything about Ostrheinsburg..."_

"You seem to be looking for something," said a rough voice from behind him, "Maybe I can help you... or better yet, maybe **you** can help **me**."

                Yun Sung turned around to see a man in his late twenties, "And why the hell would I do that?" his eyes narrowed.

                "So I spare your life," the man laughed, "For I am known as the 'One Man Army'... Mitsurugi... and if you dare to deny my powers and oppose me in battle, then surely your demise will come."

                "According to you!" Yun Sung snapped. He drew White Storm and, without delay, began the assault on his opponent. Mitsurugi countered his attacks with a technique referred to as 'guard impact'. Every attack that was sent toward Mitsurugi was reflected back at Yun Sung, _"Gre-at... how am I supposed to damage him? I'm only harming myself..." _he stepped back from Mitsurugi so he'd have a moment to gather his wits. However, Mitsurugi took advantage of this moment of vulnerability by slicing Yun Sung's torso. Normally, someone in that situation would cringe in pain, but Yun Sung knew better. Pulling back would only leave himself open for another attack that could do more than just injure him... so instead, he turned Mitsurugi's overconfidence against him. His adversary was not expecting Yun Sung to have enough strength to continue fighting, but proving otherwise, Yun Sung slashed at Mitsurugi's abdomen. The man clutched his wound, and slowly collapsed to the ground. Yun Sung swiftly searched Mitsurugi for any shards of Soul Edge, and hastily claimed it as his own when he found one. He then retreated to the blacksmith's home...

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu lay awake in the blacksmith's home, she hadn't gotten any sleep since arriving, _"I wonder how everyone's tasks are going..." _she thought to herself. The creaking of the front door opening disrupted the silence in the house. Takharu quickly got out of bed to see whom it was. It was Yun Sung... Breathing heavily and struggling to walk with his critical injuries

                "What happened!?" Takharu exclaimed the second that she caught sight of the blood pouring from Yun Sung's gashes.

                He looked at Takharu in surprise... he hadn't expected her to be awake, "I got into a fight..."

                "Obviously," she stated, "But with who? How long ago? Why?" she slowly approached him.

                "Someone else looking for the sword... not that he bothered to mention it or anything..." Yun Sung muttered.

                Takharu placed her hand on Yun Sung's chest, "You have to let me clean these wounds."

                "Yeah..." he agreed.

                Takharu left the room for a minute, and then came back with a wet cloth and bandages. Yun Sung closed his eyes and kept the pain to himself as she cleaned his injuries. After Takharu tied the ends of the bandages, Yun Sung slowly opened his eyes. He caught the worried look in Takharu's eyes, "What are you so nervous about?" he asked.

                "I was scared..." she began, "... when you came in... you were in so much pain... so hurt..." a single tear shed from her eye.

                Yun Sung stared down at Takharu, _"It's weird... I hardly even know this girl... but I feel like I care for her more than anyone else... it doesn't make any sense..." _Takharu looked up at Yun Sung... and for a moment they just gazed at each other, until Yun Sung spoke, "You don't have to worry..." it didn't matter how sceptical he felt about the situation... he needed to express his feelings. Yun Sung wrapped his arms around Takharu's waist, and pulled her closer to his body. He tenderly kissed her lips for a moment, and then ended it, yet still held her near to him. Takharu rested her head on Yun Sung's chest. Neither spoke... they just took in the moment...

                "Yun Sung..." Takharu spoke at last, "I should really get some sleep before Estrilda returns..."

                "I guess," he agreed uncertainly, "Are you leaving tomorrow morning?"

                Takharu looked away from Yun Sung, "Most likely..."

                "It's all right," Yun Sung said softly, "I understand, Takharu."

                "I know we'll meet again..." she tightly embraced Yun Sung, and then returned to the room she had been resting in.

                _"I can only hope that it will be under friendly circumstances,"_ Yun Sung thought, _"After all this talk of 'Soul Edge' is over..."_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ooo... they're in looooooove... uh... sort of... *is clearly enjoying taunting fictional characters* Right... so, what did you think of that chapter? Please review with your comments!! ^_^ Sayonara 'til the next chapter!! __


	10. Contemplation

**All right... time to write more of this story to keep BISM happy.**

**BISM****: ROMANCE!!!!!!! Always more ROMANCE!!!!!!**

**Namika****: *sigh* That is the _secondary_ genre for a reason. **

**BISM****: Aw...**

**Namika****: Well, here's the next chapter of Fate & Destiny!**

Disclaimer: I do not own the Soul Calibur II characters, weapons or plots.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 10 – Contemplation *~*

                Takharu awoke early the next morning. Despite everything that had happened... she had to continue forward. She needed to obtain Soul Edge. Takharu stepped outside and closed her eyes; a gentle morning breeze blew by, _"Time to put this behind me and keep going."_

                "Don't forget to let Estrilda know you're leaving," Yun Sung's voice reminded Takharu from the doorway of the house.

                Takharu turned around, "Oh... you're awake..." she had been hoping that she wouldn't have had to say 'good bye' to Yun Sung.

                He walked up to Takharu, "You know... I'll be back on the search for Soul Edge as soon as I'm strong enough to go out again."

                "Yes," Takharu forced a smile, "I know... I guess I'd better a head start while I can."

                "I guess so," Yun Sung agreed.

                She looked up at him, "Good bye..."

                Yun Sung kissed her lips, "We'll see each other again... let's just hope that it's after our quests are over."

Takharu took a moment to speak, "Until then... Farewell..." she said at last, and continued on her way.

                _"I'll soon catch up,"_ Yun Sung thought to himself, _"I can't let anything get in my way. I promised myself... I **will** get the Sword of Salvation. I **will** protect my country. I **will** prove myself..."_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Estrilda!" Takharu called as she stepped into the blacksmith's working area, "Are you in here?"

                The elder woman came out of a separate room, holding a sword whose form looked much similar to that of the blade of Ra... but its material was different, "Ah! You're awake! Good, good!" she handed Takharu the weapon, "Give it a test-slash!"

                "Um... on what?" Takharu stared down at the blade.

                "Me!"

                "What!?" she exclaimed, "I'm not going to attack you, Estrilda!"

                "Why not?" Estrilda asked with a serious tone.

                "Because I don't want to hurt you!" Takharu instantly replied.

                "Hah!" Estrilda scoffed, "I may be old, but I'm not weak!"

                Takharu hesitated, "I'm too strong for you, Estrilda..."

                "Nonsense! You kids are so full of yourself!" she snapped back, purposely trying to agitate Takharu.

                "Oh, yeah?" Takharu finally got up the courage to attack Estrilda. She slashed at the woman with her new sword, but something seemed to be draining her energy away. Takharu stopped. She dropped her blade to her side and fell to her knees, "What's going on? Why am I... so... weak? So... tired..."

                "Well observed," Estrilda laughed, "You'll need to get used to it! True that Soul Edge has power, but it takes energy to wield. You're going to need more practice."

                Takharu gave an annoyed sigh, "That's just terrific..."

                "Don't worry about it! It'll be fine after you practice some more," Estrilda guaranteed. She reached out her hand and helped Takharu up, "Or... you can just not use it."

                "That won't be happening," Takharu said, "I will be needing all the strength that I can get."

                "I'm not going to argue with you there," the woman chuckled, "I don't know what's going on with you... but it's big.  That man that you injured... back when I first met you..."

                "Raphael?" Takharu cut in.

                "Yes..." Estrilda said, a little irritated, "Now let me finish! Raphael – I **did **find him, by the way – he spilled some information about this sword... it's the most powerful weapon... that what he said. Is it true?"

                Takharu contemplated the question, "I suppose..." she remembered the words she had read at the Sun God's temple, _"'The metal at its tip can bring either eternal happiness... or endless suffering,'" _she looked at Estrilda, "But there's more to it. I still don't quite understand... but there's more. I know it."

                Estrilda remained silent for a moment, "I see..." that was about the only comment she had on the situation. Obviously... she did not understand it either.

                They stood in silence until Takharu spoke again, "I should really be going," she said, "Please, thank your friend for forging this sword for me..."

                "I'll be sure to!" Estrilda promised with her usual, cheerful tone.

                "Perhaps we'll meet again someday."

                "Indeed. Good bye and good luck."

                Takharu then left the small dwelling of the blacksmith.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Meanwhile, Yun Sung had been waiting restlessly at the blacksmith's home, _"I'd leave now if I didn't think that old woman would hunt me down..." _he suddenly shouted, "I need to find Ostrheinsburg!!"

                "Ostrheinsburg, you say?" a somewhat familiar voice questioned.

                "Huh?" Yun Sung turned to the entrance of the house to see the blacksmith, "Oh... it's you."

                The man looked at Yun Sung questioningly, "What happened to you?" he stared at the bandages.

                "A fight," he replied, "Isn't it obvious?"

                "I guess..." the blacksmith said uncertainly, "Where'd the girl go?"

                Yun Sung glared up at the man, "She has a name."

                "But where is she?"

                "Gone."

                "Where?"

                "Not sure."

                The man sighed, "Thanks so much for your detailed answers..."

                "Any time," Yun Sung smirked.

                After a minute of dead silence, the blacksmith spoke again, "Why haven't you left yet?"

                "I've heard that Estrilda hates when people leave while they're still injured," Yun Sung replied.

                "That's true," the man agreed, "But you could escape this place before she even found out."

                Yun Sung stared at the man with a bemused tone, "Why are you trying to help me?"

                "I'm not sure... I guess I just feel bad for you. Wandering the world in search of something just out of your reach..."

                "Nothing is out of my reach," Yun Sung broke in.

                "So far..." the blacksmith said, "But maybe you'll soon realize that there's more to all of this than you know."

                "What do you mean?" Yun Sung asked.

                The man promptly changed the subject, "You're looking for Ostrheinsburg?"

                "Yeah..." Yun Sung was still pondering what he meant by 'there's more to all of this than you know'.

                "I can help you," the blacksmith offered his assistance, "I've been there many times... actually... not lately at all... I suppose that it's been... oh... _four years _since my forging skills were needed in that particular area."

                _"Four years,"_ Yun Sung recalled the information he had collected from Talim and Xianghua, _"Four years ago... was when the original battle for Soul Edge took place... four years ago... Xianghua defeated Soul Edge's wielder..."_

"Yun Sung?" the blacksmith's voice interrupted his thoughts.

                "Yeah?"

                "Do you want my guidance or not?" he asked.

                "Just tell me which direction to go in," Yun Sung demanded calmly.

                "West. It's not too far from here. About a week walking distance," the man responded.

                "Thanks. If it takes a week, I'd better leave now. 'Bye."

                The blacksmith waved good-bye, _"He'll learn..." _he thought to himself.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                It seemed that the moment Takharu passed the borderline of the town, civilization itself ended. The eerie silence was enhanced by the darkness of storm clouds stretching across the sun; but this was nothing new to Takharu. In her mind, nothing could surpass the terror she'd already faced from the day she left Egypt. A violent wind was picking up – Takharu thought that she heard the whispers of spirits calling to her...

                '_Soul Edge... bring Soul Edge to me...'_

Takharu's eyes wandered – searching for any signs of anything that could have been speaking these words. _"There's nothing here,"_ she thought, _"I'm just imagining it..."_

                _'I know that you are there...'_

                "There's nothing here," she repeated aloud to herself, "I'm just imagining it..."

                _'Don't deny me...'_

                Now she knew that she was fooling herself. It wasn't her mind... something was out there, "Who's there?" she called, "Why don't you come out and get Soul Edge?"

                "Not a bad idea," a ghostly figure stepped out of the shadows, "Now all that's left is to claim Soul Edge as my own."

                Takharu gripped the blade that had been forged of the shards of Soul Edge in her hand, "That won't be happening."

                "On the contrary... I think that it will," he raised Soul Edge and Nirvana.

                _"He has a weapon made of Soul Edge, too..." _Takharu observed, "Who **are** you?"

                A deep, inhuman laughter echoed from the _man's _mouth, "You don't know? I am Cervantes, the one who brought Soul Edge back to this world – So I think it best if you hand it over."

                "I've fought opponents much stronger than you!" she pierced Cervantes' abdomen with her sword.

                Cervantes looked down, "I'm immortal, you fool," he swung his great arm and knocked Takharu to the ground, "You pitiful humans lack knowledge. Every person I meet doesn't realize that you cannot slay the undead!"

                "That's can't be... it's impossible!" Takharu shouted in disbelief.

                "Oh... but it's true," Cervantes said. He slashed at Takharu, she blocked his attack with her sword, but could feel it draining her energy by the second.

                She breath heavily, putting all of her effort into holding back Cervantes, _"I... have to... beat... him..." _she could feel Nirvana overpowering her, _"No..." _Takharu's energy was practically all gone. She began to feel faint. The last thing she saw before falling unconscious was the pirate reaching to obtain Soul Edge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Takharu's eyes opened. She saw yet another unfamiliar face before her; however this woman looked much friendlier than Cervantes. "Oh, good. You're finally awake. Do you feel alright?"         

"Yes," Takharu replied, "I'm fine... What is this place?" 

"Cervantes' lair. As if it isn't enough for him to steal fragments of Soul Edge from a person, he captures them as well," the woman commented disgustedly. 

"No kidding..." Takharu sighed.

"What is your name?"

                "Takharu."

                The woman smiled thoughtfully, "I am Sophitia. You really shouldn't be getting involved with Soul Edge, Takharu. It's dangerous and..."

                "I know," Takharu interrupted, "I know about its effects on people."

                "So why are you still searching for it?" Sophitia asked.

                "I think that I could ask you the same question," Takharu replied quickly.

                Sophitia laughed softly to herself, "That's quite a good point," she stated.

                Takharu looked at her questioningly, _"It's odd... how can one person in search of Soul Edge be so kind, yet another – like Cervantes – be so ruthless?"_

"Why exactly _are _you searching for Soul Edge?"

                It took Takharu a moment to answer. It seemed that every person she had met lately didn't care **why** she wanted Soul Edge – they just cared about **getting **Soul Edge, "To help... a friend..." she answered at last, "Another in search of Soul Edge... to use it, not destroy it."

                "Use it?" Sophitia frowned, "That would be a bad decision on their part..."

                Takharu nodded slowly, "He knows it, too... but he doesn't seem to care."

                "That certainly is a shame... it's awful when Soul Edge takes control of someone you care about," Sophitia seemed to be recollecting her own memories.

                "It's effected someone close to you, too... hasn't it?" Takharu seemed to understand what was going through Sophitia's mind.

                "My children... my entire family, actually. My sister has gone missing... my shard of Soul Edge gone. There's no denying that she, too, has gone out in search of it. It's too risky for someone as inexperienced as her to try something this huge."

                "If _she_ has your shard then why would Cervantes even bother to..."

                Just then, their conversation was disrupted by heavy footsteps approaching, "This is _not_ a time to socialize," Cervantes' unmistakable voice echoed through their underground prison. As he came into view, he was holding Takharu's sword of Soul Edge, and several other fragments; he dropped them onto the ground before him, along with his own sword of Soul Edge, "It's nearly complete... the majority of Soul Edge is in my possession..."

                "No..." Takharu said softly, "It can't be this way..."

                Sophitia put her hand on Takharu's shoulder for reassurance, "Don't worry. We'll escape somehow..."

                But how could they escape? They were in an underground cavern in who-knows-where... Cervantes was watching their every movement and hearing their every word. Things seemed hopeless...

*~* End of Chapter 10 *~*

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**Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!! Cliffhanger! Erm... sorry... it was too tempting to pass up a cliffhanger ending for this chapter! ^_^U I'll do my best to update soon... but my other fics must be updated, as well. So... yeah... Please review with any comments/suggestions that you may have. No flames!! Sayonara until chapter 11!**


	11. The Escape

Woohoo! Magicka is back and updating his story! ^_^ Now 'Souls of the Neverending Fate' and 'Fate & Destiny' shall be linked together once again! Right... so... yeah...

Disclaimer: Everything from Soul Calibur is property of the good people at Namco.

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Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 11 – The Escape *~*

                Yun Sung had not been travelling too long after leaving the home of blacksmith, when he heard two voices deep in conversation...

                "Are you sure that Cervantes has retreated somewhere around here?" a man's gentle voice asked.

                "Positive," a familiar high-pitched voice replied, "Even if I wasn't sure, we need to take the chance if we want to save Sophitia."

                Yun Sung immediately recognized the girl's distinctive tone, _"Xianghua."_

"And remember, Kilik," Xianghua continued as she came into Yun Sung's view, "There's more to this than just saving Sophitia. We also want Soul Edge..."

                The man called Kilik stopped walking, "And we have to find Maxi... This won't be easy, Xianghua, but we'll pull through. Cervantes **can be defeated."**

                "Exactly," Xianghua said surely, "We have no worries," she stated while striding forward. Kilik jogged to keep up with her, his red cloak flowing behind him.

                Yun Sung watched as they continued toward a cavern across the field, _"Cervantes..." Yun Sung recalled the immortal being that had nearly killed he and Mina, "I have a score to settle," he announced out loud before following Xianghua and Kilik from an inconspicuous distance._

{-----|~-~|-----}

                Droplets of water fell from the ceiling of the dank cavern that was Cervantes' hideout. Sophitia was still sleeping from the night before. _"She must be used to being in this cell... I wonder how long she's been here," Takharu thought to herself. Unlike Sophitia, she could not sleep a wink. Thoughts of her family and friends crowded her mind, and how she had let them all down._

                A crash sounded in the distance, followed by Cervantes' voice, which bellowed, "Damn them! How could they have found me!?" he stormed into the room that Takharu and Sophitia were in – Sophitia had been awakened by Cervantes' shouts. "Your foolish companions have found this place," he said to Sophitia, "Obviously trying to rescue you."

                Sophitia's face filled with hope... but it was cut short by Cervantes' confident laughter, "Perhaps this will provide me with a little fun... You'll be able to watch as I end their existence on this earth," he turned and left the room.

                "Oh no..." Sophitia said softly, "Cervantes will kill them..."

                "No he won't," Takharu assured, "I'm positive that they'll be fine..."

                "They are both extremely skilled fighters... but Cervantes cannot be defeated," Sophitia stated gloomily. She buried her face in her hands and choked back the tears.

                Sophitia's sadness would normally rub off on Takharu, putting her in a depressed mood; but she could not afford it. They had to stay strong...

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Great... how are we going to get inside now?" Xianghua crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently while staring at the huge, rock-solid wall that blocked the entrance to the cavern.

                "Break it down?" Kilik suggested in a questionable tone.

                Xianghua sighed, "I suppose it's worth a try," she raised her sword and prepared to slash at the wall, but it broke into a thousand pieces before she got a chance. As the dust cleared from the air, Cervantes' unmistakable shadow was seen lurking in the pathway.

                "So you thought that you could just sneak in and rescue Sophitia, didn't you?" he demanded in a harsh voice.

                "Actually, I was thinking more... break in, destroy you and **then rescue Sophitia," Xianghua sneered. She discreetly motioned Kilik to go in while she took care of Cervantes. He did as told, and slowly stowed away from the feud, into the cavern.**

                 Yun Sung, who had been watching and listening to everything that had been done or said, made the decision to follow Kilik into the cave. He did not want to get involved with Cervantes... not yet.

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Sophitia!" Kilik called as he went deeper into the cavern, "Where are you?" he received no reply. The silence of the cave was then interrupted by a rolling pebble from behind. Kilik turned to see Yun Sung, who was desperately trying to remain concealed among the rock walls, "Who are you?" Kilik held Kali-Yuga in a battle stance.

                "What? Xianghua never told you about me? I'm insulted..." Yun Sung answered, trying to avoid giving away any information.

                "I was looking for a name," Kilik persisted.

                "Yun Sung," he gave in to that much.

                "Why are you here?"

                "To settle something with Cervantes."

                "Then go back and do that," Kilik obviously wanted to be left alone.

                Yun Sung walked ahead of Kilik, "That won't be happening. Now I'm curious as to what **you're** doing."

                Kilik groaned in frustration, "I would rather you left me to do this alone... but I clearly don't have that much of an option," he lowered Kali-Yuga.

                "That's right. You don't," Yun Sung smirked.

                Kilik chose to ignore Yun Sung's comment, and continued searching, "Sophitia!" he shouted louder than before.

                "Kilik..." a faint cry echoed through the cave.

                "Sophitia!" Kilik exclaimed. He ran toward the voice – closely followed by Yun Sung.

{-----|~-~|-----}

                "Kilik?" Takharu looked at Sophitia with a confused expression.

                "Yes, Kilik. He is one of the people that I have been travelling with," Sophitia sounded overjoyed having heard her friend's voice, "Kilik!" she yelled to guide Kilik in the correct direction.

                Takharu was still rather perplexed by the situation, "Will he be able to get us out of here?"

                "I hope," Sophitia responded, "But who knows what has happened while he tried to get here... and Xianghua..."

                "Xianghua... is your other companion?" Takharu asked.

                "Yes. I hope that she is safe..."

                "Sophitia," an out-of-breath Kilik ran into the room, "Are you all right?"

                A huge smile crossed Sophitia's face, "I'm fine... where is Xianghua?"

                "Fighting Cervantes," Kilik replied in a worried tone.

                "Hurry and get us out so we can go back and fight," Sophitia ordered.

                Kilik nodded, "Hey, kid! Make yourself useful!" he called back.

                Yun Sung entered the room at his own pace, "Yeah, yeah..."

                "Yun Sung? What are you doing here?" Takharu stared in disbelief.

                Yun Sung hadn't even noticed Takharu until she spoke, "Takharu..." he began, but was cut off by Xianghua's distant screams...

                "Run!! Cervantes is coming! Get out of there!!" she shrieked.

                "We have to get them out of this prison fast," Kilik said, "Yun Sung, use your blade. Kali-Yuga would not be able to break through metal."

                Yun Sung drew White Storm and slashed at the metal bars holding Takharu and Sophitia. Not even a scratch... "What the hell?" Yun Sung could not believe that he had failed at destroying the bars.

                "Yun Sung, get my sword!" Takharu ordered.

                "And mine," Sophitia added, "Cervantes is keeping them over there – along with our shards of Soul Edge."

                Yun Sung turned around and spotted their weapons. He quickly gathered them – as well as a few individual shards of Soul Edge for himself – and returned them to their owners.

                Together, Takharu and Sophitia sliced one of the metal bars in two. They swiftly escaped, and all four warriors headed toward the exit. To their dismay, Cervantes was waiting for them, "Did you honestly think that I would let you escape that easily?"

                "Here's hoping!" Xianghua kicked Cervantes from behind, "He's blocked off the entrance! We need to find another escape route!" she jumped over Cervantes temporarily fallen body and ran deeper into the tunnels of the cavern, followed by the others.

                They soon arrived in a large room full of water. The only source of dry land was the platform they stood on... but there was no place left to run. Cervantes was behind them, and water surrounding... except for a colossal ship that floated in the water, "That's our only chance," Sophitia observed, "Everyone... board the ship!" obeying Sophitia's commands, they piled onto the ship... but Cervantes joined them.

                "I know this cavern inside-out," Cervantes said, "You cannot escape me..."

                Xianghua searched frantically for a way to get out of there. She abruptly decided to cut the rope keeping the ship still in two.

                "Bad choice," Cervantes stated, "Now you have no escape."

                "On the contrary... if we can hold you off long enough, we'll escape just fine," Xianghua began to engage in battle with the undead pirate. Kilik and Sophitia joined her in holding him off for as long as they could.

                "Takharu... we have to get out of here," Yun Sung said.

                "How?" she asked.

                He pointed up to a ledge that seemed to lead to another area of the cavern, "That's worth a try."

                "But we can't just leave them to fight Cervantes..."

                "Yes we can! I want to get back at him, too... but it's no use," he grabbed Takharu's arm and dragged her to one of the higher levels of the ship, "Hurry... jump!" Takharu reluctantly obeyed, and Yun Sung followed her. They made their way through the cavern's maze and eventually found an exit...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                Once they had arrived outside, and ran a safe distance from the cave, Yun Sung and Takharu finally got a chance to catch their breath, "Man... this kills..." Yun Sung held his wounded side.

                "Why did you leave Estrilda's care?" Takharu asked, "You're far too injured to be out here..."

                "I'm fine," Yun Sung insisted, "Just a little weak."

                "Yeah... right... _little_," Takharu commented.

They stood in silence for a moment, "I'd better go now... Ostrheinsburg awaits," Yun Sung turned and began walking.

                "Wait!" Takharu called after him. He turned back to her, "Just... be careful..."

                Yun Sung smiled, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to me," he then continued on his way.

                _"You say that... but I still worry; something will happen to you... if we meet again... we'll battle... and I won't be able to let you win. We are rivals... and yet... I love you."_

*~* End of Chapter 11 *~*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Ooo... that turned out pretty cool! ^.~ In my opinion, anyway. What did you think of it? Please review and let me know what you think of this fic! Now... I am off to study!**


	12. Paths Intertwine

**I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update! One: Writer's block. Two: Suspension from posting. *rolls eyes* Oh! And I wrote the last chapter for this story! No... this isn't it. But this fic _is_ nearly over. Well, nonetheless, here's an update for ye! **

**Disclaimer****: Nothing from Soul Calibur belongs to me.**

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 12 – Paths Intertwine*~*

                _"Man, what's going on? I almost feel like... Soul Edge... doesn't matter. No. No way. I'm **not** going soft,"_ Yun Sung argued with himself within his mind as he walked along, staring at the ground. It had been a silent road since he left Cervantes' _hideout_. It seemed that the only one he had to talk to was himself, which caused him to ponder many things that had happened since his journey began, _"Hwang. The only reason I'm on this quest is to make Hwang acknowledge me. That's it. I am **not** in this to help my country. I am **not** in this for anything else... I don't care what they say – Mina and Takharu..."_

                His thoughts were interrupted by a voice that was new to him, "You are Yun Sung, are you not?"

                "Huh?" Yun Sung looked up and saw a knight standing before him, "...How do you know my name?"

                "I have my ways..." the man replied calmly.

                Yun Sung raised an eyebrow, "And those ways would be...?"

                "You're a persistent one," he laughed to himself, "Well... I've been following the woman that you were with not too long ago."

                _"Takharu..."_ Yun Sung realized immediately, "Why were you following her!?"

                "I am Nightmare," the knight began.

                "Yeah, that's nice; however it doesn't answer my question."

                "Give me a moment..." Nightmare said agitatedly, "For the same reasons that warriors from across the world have been searching for you... for her... for me... for **anyone** possessing a shard..."

                "Of Soul Edge," Yun Sung completed Nightmare's sentence, "So why are you after _me_ now?"

                Nightmare shrugged, "I suppose that I simply got bored. After chasing one person around for Soul Edge for so long... you don't turn now a new challenge."

                Yun Sung smirked, "Well, I guess I'm as much of a challenge as anyone... scratch that – **more** of a challenge," he drew White Storm.

                "Very well," Nightmare held Soul Edge in fighting stance, "Meet the **true** Soul Edge!"

                "Whoa..." sight of Soul Edge caused Yun Sung to flinch, "So that's... what Soul Edge really is..."

                "Indeed. Now, it's time for me to introduce you to its power!" Nightmare held Soul Edge above his head, and let it fall – aiming to hit Yun Sung.

                Yun Sung quickly recovered from the shock of seeing the blade, and dodged the attack. Nightmare lifted his blade again and prepared for the next assault. Yun Sung, being misled by use of the sword, took Nightmare's rest from attacking as an opportunity for him to go on the offensive. He slashed at Nightmare, but to his surprise – Nightmare was prepared for this attempt. He grabbed Yun Sung by the arm and threw him to the ground. Nightmare stepped forward, towering over Yun Sung, "Your time of death has come... and my rebirth has only just begun," he rose Soul Edge once again and prepared to finish Yun Sung once and for all. Yun Sung frantically tried to think of a way to escape, but there was no time – he had to act immediately. Yun Sung clutched White Storm and pierced the sword itself with all of his strength – Soul Edge... At first, nothing happened. All was silent for a moment, but faintly... a cracking sound was heard by the ears of Nightmare and Yun Sung. They watched in awe as Soul Edge's blade slowly shattered into several large fragments. Yun Sung quickly snatched up the shards, leaving Nightmare vulnerable; he had no weapon... and was not truly existent anymore... for without the shards, he was nothing. Nightmare **was** Soul Edge, and now that Yun Sung had claimed the only pieces he possessed, he was hardly anything but the feeble man who could not control Soul Edge in the first place... for the time being.

                "You put in a good effort," Yun Sung admitted, "But it wasn't enough," and with that, he continued – closer to his goal of Soul Edge than ever.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu was passing through a large town on the way to... well, she was not truly sure _where_ she was going,_ "'Ostrheinsburg'... that's where Yun Sung said he was going. I suppose that I need to go there, too... to summon Soul Edge or... what exactly will happen? How is this going to work?" _Takharu sighed and leaned against the wall of a building, "I don't know what I'm doing..." she buried her face in her hands.

                "Does anyone really?"

                "What?" Takharu uncovered her eyes. She smiled at the sight of the person in front of her, "Mina!"

                Mina smiled back, "It's good to see you again! How have things been going?"

                Takharu thought for a moment, "If I were to describe this entire journey in one word, it would be... 'hectic.'"

                "That's Soul Edge for you," Mina laughed.

                "Mina... I may be mistaken, but this isn't you first time searching for Soul Edge, is it?" Takharu asked.

                Mina shook her head, "I set out to find it four years ago, as well. Hwang – another student from my father's dojo – was also looking for it at the time."

                "And you didn't find it the first time?" Takharu questioned.

                "No... Hwang and I both failed. But that's all right; things will be different this time," Mina said confidently.

                "Oh, yeah? You seem to be forgetting the competition," Takharu remarked.

                Mina scoffed, "What? You, Yun Sung and a group of nobodies? I can handle it!"

                "Well then... shall you prove it in a friendly match?" Takharu held her blade in fighting stance.

                Mina gripped her zanbatou, "Fine by me... you may have won last time we battled, but things are going to be different now. And what do you say that we raise the stakes?"

                "How so?"

                "Winner gets loser's shards of Soul Edge... loser leaves this adventure behind. You up for it?" Mina smirked.

                Takharu hesitated, _"If I lose this match I lose everything... do I want to risk it?"_

"I'm waiting," Mina said impatiently.

                "Fine," Takharu agreed finally, _"Even if I have to give my fragments to Mina... I can trust her. I hope..."_

                Mina commenced the battle off strong. She charged up her weapon and swung it at Takharu. Takharu barely dodged it, receiving a wound on her left arm. She turned back to Mina and slashed at her. Mina blocked the attack with her zanbatou, leaving the two weapons were in a deadlock – each relying on the other for balance. Mina was the first to realize this, so she moved her zanbatou out of Ra's Blade's way, causing Takharu to fall forward. Takharu began to get back up, but Mina did not waste an opportunity to attack; she aimed to stab her adversary, but Takharu rolled out of the way and got to her feet. She hit Mina's back full force with the flat side of her sword. Mina fell to the ground, vulnerable to Takharu's next attack – lucky for her, Takharu chose not to attack, "I'm not going to kill you, or injure you any more... unless you deny that I won," Takharu stated.

                Mina staggered to her feet and looked at Takharu, "I'm not about it deny it," she smiled, "You won fairly... so here's your prize," Mina handed Takharu the several fragments of Soul Edge that she possessed.

                "Thank you, Mina," Takharu said.

                "Don't mention it... just take good care of those shards, or else..." she commented as an empty-threat. 

                Takharu laughed, "I assure that they'll be just fine. Um... Mina..."

                "Yes?"

                "Do you by chance know where I have to go now?" Takharu asked, embarrassed that she did not already know.

                "Ostrheinsburg. The castle was the location where the battle took place four years ago... or so I've heard. Once news reaches Korea, the facts sometimes become fiction," Mina replied unsurely.

                "Well, it makes sense to me. Yun Sung had mentioned Ostrheinsburg when I last saw him," Takharu said.

                Mina grinned, "So you **have** seen him again."

                "Yes..." Takharu answered shyly, "A couple of times."

                "You and Yun Sung... you remind me of..." Mina stopped mid-sentence, "Never mind."

                "Who?" Takharu was growing curious.

                "It doesn't matter... you'd better start heading towards Ostrheinsburg. It shouldn't take you much more than a day from here. Just continue in that direction," Mina pointed west, "I suppose I should be heading back home. My father will be enraged that I got involved with Soul Edge again... but that's all right. Good luck, Takharu."

                "Farewell, Mina," Takharu and Mina then went their separate ways, _perhaps_ never to meet again.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Ostrheinsburg," Yun Sung read a sign on the side of the pathway aloud, _"It can't be far now."_

                "So you **never** listened to me," a voice said from behind.

                Yun Sung turned around, "Talim, I thought that I told you to leave me alone."

                "You did... several times... but I figured that since what others say doesn't have an effect on you, it shouldn't have one on me, either," Talim stated.

                Yun Sung smirked, "You seem tougher than before."

                "I do? But I thought that I defeated you last time."

                "Indeed..." Yun Sung agreed with an aggravated tone, "But that would change now."

                "I may generally be kind, but I am not weak," Talim said.

                "Then prove it. Let's finish this rivalry now," Yun Sung challenged.

                Talim held her blades in fighting position, "You leave me no other choice..."

*~* End of Chapter 12 *~*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**That chapter was shorter than I would have liked... *sigh* Oh well. It'll do. ^_^ What do you think of it? Please review and give me your opinion! There will probably only be two more chapters now – the next one, and the final chapter. Sayonara 'til then!**


	13. The Final Shards

**Sorry that it took me quite a while to update this fic! Writer's blocks... blah! ^.~ Well, here's chapter 13! The second to last chapter... dun, dun, duuuun!**

**Disclaimer****: I still do not own any of the Soul Calibur II characters.**

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Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 13 – The Final Shards *~*

                Yun Sung drew White Storm and prepared to counter Talim's attack, "I'm going to give you one last chance to hand over the shards, Talim..."

                Talim shook her head, "I'll have to decline it. There's too much at stake here!" she stepped to the side and slashed at Yun Sung with Loka Luha. He knocked her blade of the way with White Storm and aimed to slice Talim, but she easily blocked it with Syi Salika.

                "It doesn't seem fair that you have _two_ weapons," Yun Sung commented as he continued trying to strike Talim without success.

                Talim smiled, "Everything's fair when it comes to Soul Edge!" she switched attacks from one blade to the other. Yun Sung was continuously blocking her assault; she was very quick. Talim abruptly ceased her attack... Syi Salika seemed to shimmer in an unusual blue tone. Yun Sung tightened his grip on White Storm; he knew that something was coming, and he wanted to be prepared. Syi Salika's shimmer became a solid blue light, and Talim jabbed her blade forward. Yun Sung knocked the blade off of Talim's arm with his sword. Talim looked over to where Syi Salika now lay; it was too far for her to retrieve without being hit by Yun Sung.

                "**Now** we're even," Yun Sung smirked. Talim frowned. Having two weapons **was** her advantage, though she did not want to admit it. Nevertheless, Talim was too determined to just give up. She unlatched Loka Luha from her arm and held it in her right hand. "Are you giving up?" Yun Sung asked. He was rather certain that she was not, but still... he found this an odd thing to do.

                "Not yet," Talim replied. _"I only have one shot at this..."_ she tossed her blade directly at Yun Sung. He reacted quickly and kicked Loka Luha back at Talim. She swiftly stepped out of the way, however she was unable to fight anymore since both of her weapons were out of reach. Talim looked at Yun Sung who was simply standing still, without any intention of continuing the battle in his expression. "Aren't you going to finish me off?" Talim asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

                Yun Sung held White Storm by his side, "No. You showed me mercy in our last duel, so I'm just returning it."

                "Thank you," Talim said gratefully.

                "I should be thanking you, Talim." Talim looked at Yun Sung in confusion. "If you hadn't defeated me last time, then I probably wouldn't have even made it this far. Whether I want to admit it or not... the stuff that you told me was helpful." 

                "Yes..." Talim handed her fragments of Soul Edge to Yun Sung, "But you're **still** going to try to obtain the sword, correct?"

                Yun Sung nodded, "Nothing's going to stop me from gaining the power that I seek... but I'll confess that you've grown on me. Persistent or not... you're fighting for the right reasons... however, there are more right reasons than you understand." Talim listened attentively to everything that Yun Sung said, "I'm fighting for those reasons, too... and that's why I can't stop," he looked toward Ostrheinsburg, "I won't let harm come to this world... I swear."

                As strange as it seemed, Yun Sung and Talim almost seemed to have become friends. After this battle, their rivalry ended – Yun Sung continued forward and Talim returned to her home. _"Surely father is worried about me..."_ she thought to herself as she turned back, _"But I have a feeling... that everything will work out..."_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Takharu had finally arrived in Ostrheinsburg. She had not met up with any more challenges along the way, _"I suppose that the majority of Soul Edge's seekers have been either killed or simply lost their shards," _she guessed. Takharu looked around at the villagers. There were not that many people around; those who remained all seemed frightened of something. Fear filled their eyes and words – it was very apparent to Takharu. _"I'd be nervous, too after whatever happened to this place when Soul Edge first arrived..."_ she noticed a large hill across the town and the demolished building atop it. Takharu figured that that must be the castle Mina spoke of. She wasted no time in crossing the town to meet her final trial.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Yun Sung walked along the pathway toward the top of the hill. The ruins of Ostrheinsburg Castle were around a mile away. _"I know that I don't have all of the pieces yet..."_ Yun Sung thought, _"So I'll just hang out around the ruins until someone else arrives..."_ As he approached the top of the hill, he noticed a woman walking ahead of him; twirling her lean sword smugly. Yun Sung could recognize her anywhere, "Xianghua!"

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                _"This is place is so deserted..."_ Takharu thought to herself as she continued through Ostrheinsburg. This area was eerie; it was as thought civilization just stopped after she reached a certain point. "Is that..." she began to ask aloud when she spotted a knight standing about ten feet from her, "...Nightmare?" Takharu cautiously stepped toward the man. It **was** Nightmare... no. It was not him anymore... he had a different spirit. Takharu could see it. His appearance had changed quite a bit. He looked much more human... his blonde hair flowed in the breeze, and his blue eyes shimmered with a human mind. The only thing that Takharu could see that remained of 'Nightmare' was his mutated arm. She stood behind him, "Um... hello?"

                _Nightmare_ turned around, "Who are you? What do you want?" he asked nervously.

                "You... don't remember me at all?" Takharu asked. The knight stared at Takharu blankly. _"He doesn't remember... he must think that I'm just some freak..."_ Takharu looked at the man, "Siegfried."

                His confused expression became a shocked one, "How do you know my name?"

                Takharu smiled, "So you **do** remember something about yourself. Well... you _were_ my rival, but something has changed you..."

                "Your rival? But I've never met you in my life..." 

                "**You** haven't... but Soul Edge has," Takharu explained.

                "Soul Edge..." Siegfried's eyes widened. It was obvious that he recalled the sword, "That's impossible... you cannot meet a sword!"

                "I met a sword in your body, Siegfried. It took control of you... didn't you wonder why you didn't remember what had happened for the past years?" Takharu took a guess at how long Siegfried had actually been under the spell of Soul Edge.

                Siegfried did not seem to be swallowing what Takharu was saying, "I don't believe you. I would remember it."

                "Apparently not..."

                "You're a liar. I don't believe you," he repeated, "You're not trustworthy. No one knows what happened to me..."

                "Not exactly," Takharu agreed slightly, "But some people have an idea of what happened. Why don't you trust me?"

                Siegfried did not reply immediately. He was very wary of people, "Because nothing in this world is true."

                "Now **that's** a lie," Takharu snapped, "You need to learn to believe what people are telling you!"

                "Why should I believe people!? What have they ever done for me!?" Siegfried shouted. He turned and walked off to another part of the town. Takharu sighed to herself. It was a shame that Soul Edge drove this man into a solitary life... she could not allow it to happen to anyone else. She tried to forget about Siegfried and continued toward the ruins.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "**You**!! How could you have just left us fight Cervantes?!" Xianghua screamed at the top of her lungs, "I mean... we easily defeated him but **you just ran away**!?" Yun Sung drained out Xianghua's voice as she continued complaining. 

                _"I'll never get to Soul Edge if she doesn't shut up," _he thought to himself, rather than processing Xianghua's words.

                "Are you even listening to me!?" Xianghua broke into Yun Sung's thoughts, "Kilik, Sophitia and I could have been killed! How would you feel about **that**!?" 

                Yun Sung smirked, "It wouldn't really bother me that much."

                "That's it!!" Xianghua gripped her sword, "You're irritating me **and** you have some shards of Soul Edge – those are the ingredients of a battle!"

                Yun Sung clenched White Storm, "All right. A battle it is!" they both chose to go on the offensive and their sword clashed. Xianghua pulled back and twirled her blade in a taunting matter.

                "Is that all the power you've got?" she asked.

                "No way! I'm just getting started!" Yun Sung sliced at Xianghua, but she dodged each attack swiftly. Xianghua crouched down and slashed the back of Yun Sung's legs, causing him to trip as well as inflicting a wound. She did not delay in raising her sword and jabbing it downward at Yun Sung. He held White Storm in front of him so it got hit instead, chipping a piece of metal from his blade. "Master Myong won't like that..." Yun Sung commented. He got to his feet and attacked Xianghua, slicing the tassel off of the end of her sword.

                Xianghua gasped, "Way to ruin the appearance of my sword!" 

                Yun Sung laughed to himself, "You're so pathetic... what would you have done if it was **you** that my sword hit?"

                "Well... I shouldn't even have to answer that, since it'll **never** happen!" she said confidently.  Xianghua grabbed Yun Sung's arm and twisted it behind his back, then slashed it with her sword. Yun Sung clutched his bleeding wound.

                "**Ow**! Was that _necessary_?" he questioned, holding back the pain.

                Xianghua shook her head, "Of course not! None of this is necessary! Like this..." she kneed him in the gut, "Or this!" Xianghua pushed him to the ground. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, "I guess you're done."

                Yun Sung thrust his blade into the ground and used it to help him get up, a confident grin on his face, "Is this how you beat Nightmare?  By knocking him out while he was weak?"

                "What!?" Xianghua's voice filled with rage, "Are you implying that I'm a cheap fighter!?"

                "Basically," he answered calmly, "You seem much cheaper than last time we fought. Don't you remember? I won that time... didn't I?" Xianghua growled under her breath. "This time isn't going to be any different, Xianghua. I want this more than you!" Completely ignoring the fact that he was injured, Yun Sung lifted White Storm and swung at Xianghua. Xianghua was caught off-guard by this attack. Yun Sung sliced a deep gash into Xianghua's side. She fell to her knees from the searing pain.

                "Dammit..." she muttered.

                "I guess _you're _done," Yun Sung mocked Xianghua. She glared up at him and threw her Soul Edge fragments at him.

                "There! Take them! But if anything bad happens, I swear I'll find you and kill you!" Xianghua threatened.

                Yun Sung was not afraid of her threat at all. He simply turned back and continued toward the ruins of Ostrheinsburg Castle.  _"Only a few more shards to go... and they will come to me..."_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                It was around sunset as Takharu approached the ruins of Ostrheinsburg Castle. The orange-red sky was slowly being covered by dark storm clouds. "It sets a mood..." Takharu sighed as she looked at the sky. She knew that her journey was coming to a close – and now it was a matter of fate and choice... winning and losing... life and death...

*~* End of Chapter 13 *~*

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**Wow... Fate & Destiny is almost over... What did you think of that chapter? I think that it ended up pretty kick-ass! Anyway... that's just me. As always, please review! I've already completed the next – and last – chapter. I will probably post it in a week or so.__**


	14. Fate is Heard

**Well... here it is. The final chapter of Fate & Destiny is posted. *sniffle* It's almost over! Anyway... read on and enjoy the ending!**

Disclaimer: I _still_ don't own anything Soul Calibur related.

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Fate & Destiny 

*~* Chapter 14 – Fate is Heard *~*

                Thunder crashed, and lighting blinded the night skies above the demolished Ostrheinsburg Chapel. Rain poured through the collapsed roof drenching Yun Sung, whom was sitting on the ground, awaiting the challenger who held the fragments of Soul Edge that he required, _"I've finally made it. No matter what happens now, I know that I can face it. I've come too far to lose it all now..."_ in the back of his mind, he was well aware of what was coming. He had taken that dream he had while he was travelling with Mina as a premonition – Takharu would be his adversary.

                Amongst the sounds of the storm, footsteps were heard approaching. Yun Sung got to his feet and stared at the doorway, knowing what was coming... **who** was coming... "What a surprise," he commented sarcastically as Takharu stepped into the chapel ruins. 

                "It's nice to see you, too," Takharu retorted.

                "You know that I don't want to hurt you... so please... just go back home," Yun Sung pleaded.

                "To what!?" Takharu shouted, "Go back to my _ruined_ family? Face the consequences of murdering my _betrothed_?"

                Yun Sung replied, "Despite all that... you're going to have to face it whether you reach Soul Edge or not."

                "And what about you? Why should I leave and let you be consumed by the sword?" Takharu questioned.

                "Because it's what I want," Yun Sung answered, "I **want** to obtain the sword, whether it takes me over or not. I **want** to do this... it's the price to pay to gain the power I need to have people acknowledge me."

                "Why? Why do you need it? You've gotten up to the sword without it... and frankly, getting this far takes **more** skill than going back to Korea and getting a few lousy people to 'acknowledge' you!" Takharu insisted, "I've seen what the sword does to people, Yun Sung!" tears formed in her eyes, "I don't want you to end up like Siegfried..."

                Yun Sung gripped his blade, "Takharu, this is my choice. You can't convince me otherwise... and I can't convince you. It's no use to stand here and argue... we have to fight. Nothing you can say is going to change my mind. Soul Edge has become more important to me than anything else in this world... Fight me."

                "No," Takharu dropped her sword of Soul Edge to the ground. Her voice sounded much stronger and free of all fear that she felt for Yun Sung, "I refuse to fight you," she tossed her other shards of Soul Edge on top of the sword, "Go ahead. Screw yourself! Soul Edge isn't going to do you any good! You're going to realize that Soul Edge will bring you nothing but pain!" Yun Sung just gazed in shock as Takharu continued, "This is your choice... if you want to go on and let Soul Edge manipulate you for the rest of your like... go ahead. I don't care anymore. A bastard like you isn't worth my time," she gave him one last pain-struck glance before turning and leaving the chapel.

                Yun Sung took a moment to process everything that Takharu had just said, _"That wasn't... how I expected it to go... It was different than my dream. Did I... make a huge mistake?"_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Pointless!" Takharu muttered to herself. "This journey was pointless!" She had immediately stormed out of Ostrheinsburg and was on her way home... prepared to face the reality of all that had happened. The life that awaited her could not be worse than everything that took place during this journey.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "I can't have any second thoughts now," Yun Sung said to himself. He dropped his fragments of Soul Edge on the ground and waited to see what would happen.

Yun Sung watched in astonishment as the shards elevated and joined together in the centre of the chapel. Once the last piece was in place, Yun Sung's surroundings began to change. The shattered stained glass windows transformed into raging flames, and the ground almost appeared as a lava stream flowing through an erupting volcano. "The hellfire..." Yun Sung said as he observed the atmosphere.

                From the flames, emerged the apocalypse... the ultimate opponent... Soul Edge's true form – Inferno. This was the challenge that Yun Sung had been seeking this entire time. At long last, he had found it. The true Soul Edge... it wasn't the 'salvation' his culture claimed it was... but it was all that Yun Sung could have asked for... power. "At last... Soul Edge **will** be **mine**!" Yun Sung smirked. He clutched White Storm tightly, "This is it..." he charged at Inferno and jabbed his blade through the creature's gut. He pulled it out and Inferno collapsed; appearing unconscious. "What? Was that it!?" Yun Sung commented, a little disappointed. Perhaps he should have savoured the triumph while it lasted... for Inferno was far from defeated. It rose once again, the flame on its body burning stronger than before; however, it was not enough to bring down Yun Sung's strength. He continued his onslaught against Inferno – using various techniques he had improved on throughout his quest. Soul Charge and Guard Impact were but two of the skills that he used. The creature collapsed several times before Yun Sung was able to wipe it from the face of the earth.

                "You may have defeated me..." the beast spoke, "But I shall return. I can **never** be silenced..." it slowly vanished into the hellfire, leaving behind the echo of menacing laughter.

                Yun Sung's surroundings returned to their original state of Ostrheinsburg Chapel. The demonic blade, Soul Edge, fell before him... finally giving Yun Sung the opportunity to obtain the ultimate power. Yun Sung reached for the sword... but abruptly stopped, "What am I doing? I destroyed Inferno using _White Storm_... **I** have the power to protect my country. I don't need Soul Edge... I never did..." he glared morosely at the blade for a minute before coming to a conclusion, "I should have known that Mina was right in the first place. I was being selfish. I have to make things right again. I need to help the country," he quickly left the chapel to return to Korea.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                After several weeks of travelling, Takharu was finally at her village... she had walked through the streets dodging the glances of villagers who, obviously, thought it odd for her to simply return after such a long time of being gone. She chose to ignore them and go directly to her home. She stepped through the doorway and looked around the house. It was eerily quiet. "Father...?" Takharu almost felt as though she had to speak softly as though not to disturb the silence, "Are you here?" it was odd for her to be in her empty home. Someone was always home; but now that her father was the only remaining family member, the house was deserted.

                 "Who's there?" a woman's voice came from the doorway.

                Takharu turned around and stared in disbelief, "Salama?"

                The woman covered her mouth in shock, "Takh? Is that you?"

                "Of course it's me!" Takharu was so happy to see a familiar face. Salama was an old friend of hers. Seeing the woman was a relief for Takharu, knowing that not **everything** in her village had changed.

                "But... you disappeared from the village... we all figured that you had been killed..." Salama said quietly.

                Takharu frowned, "Well, I survived."

                Salama forced a smile, "And I'm glad that you did."

                "Salama... what's wrong?"

                "What?" Salama seemed confused by the fact that Takharu could read her expressions, "What makes you think that something's wrong?"

                "I've known you since we were children... I can tell when you have something serious on your mind," Takharu replied.

                Salama had a sad expression in her eyes, "Many things have happened, Takh. You... did know about your mother and broth–"

                "Yes," Takharu answered without allowing Salama to complete the sentence. She did not want to hear about Nightmare killing her family again, "But... what other things?"

                "My brother... Masudi... he... was also killed," Salama added. Takharu's eyes moved to the ground, she did not want to see Salama's expression when she admitted what she had done. Masudi was not only Salama's brother, but the man that Takharu was meant to marry.

                "Salama... I knew about Masudi..." Takharu hesitated, "You see... I... was the one... who..."

                Takharu could hear Salama gasp, "You killed him?"

                "Yes..." it could easily be heard that Takharu regretted what she had done. She prayed that Salama would be forgiving.

                "Takh, I knew that you didn't love him, but... killing him? My brother?" Salama sounded more full of anguish than rage.

                "I'm so sorry," Takharu whispered. They both remained silent for a moment, wrapped up in thoughts of all that had just been said. Takharu was the first to speak, "Where... is my father?"

                "Gone..." Salama answered, "After you ran away, he left. He didn't say where he was going or how long he'd be."

                "So I have no family?" Takharu asked in a monotonous voice. Salama simply shook her head in reply, "Just my grandparents... I can't stay with them..."

                "Takh, if you want, you can stay with my family..."

                "No... Maybe this was meant to happen..." she seemed lost in thought, "There are some things... that I never got to say..."

                "Takharu! You can't leave Egypt! People won't accept you anywhere else!"

                "I've been through a lot, Salama. I've come to befriend some people... yes, there are enemies... but I have hope," Takharu still recalled the people she had met on her long journey, _"'Seung Han Myong...' 'My father's dojo' Mina's father must be the master of a dojo,"_ she could only think of finding either Mina or Yun Sung. They both lived under the care of the same man, so if Takharu found one, she found the other. She did not just want to see them for a place to go... there were some things that she never got to say to Yun Sung... some things she never got to apologize for...

                "Takh..." Salama broke into her thoughts.

                "Yes?"

                "If you aren't welcome there – wherever _there_ may be – you can always come back here... I promise that I won't tell anyone that you killed Masudi... You've been my best friend for what seems like forever, I want you to be happy."

                "Thank you, Salama," she glanced around the room for a moment. "I should really leave soon... but... I just want a moment alone in this house..."

                Salama nodded, "Take care, Takh," she walked out and left Takharu alone.

                Takharu wandered into the empty rooms that formerly belonged to her parents and herself. She gathered a few of her own belongings, and several small things to remember her parents by, to bring with her during her travels. The last room that she entered was her younger brother's. Takharu held back the tears she could feel forming in her eyes. She was indifferent to the fact that her parents were gone... and soon that she would be gone from Egypt as well... but something inside of her could not let go of her brother. Just looking around his room reminded her of how young and innocent he was. _"What am I doing?"_ she thought. _"I can't just spend all of my time thinking of what already happened..."_ she wiped a tear from her eye and turned toward the doorway. "Good bye..." Takharu whispered, leaving her home, friends, country and memories behind.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Yun Sung had also returned to his home. He has just arrived at the Seung dojo and was wandering the hallways, "Master!" he called, "Hwang! Mina!" Yun Sung was not really paying attention to where he was going as much as the names he was calling, for he did not notice Hwang standing in his way.

                Hwang held out a hand and blocked Yun Sung's way, "Usually when you call someone, you tend to _watch_ if they are actually around."

                "Hwang!" Yun Sung never would have imagined that he would be so glad to return to the dojo and see all of the other students.

                "It's good to see you back safely, Yun Sung. However, I see that you failed to retrieve the Sword of Salvation," he commented with a rather teasing tone.

                "So Mina told you?"

                Hwang nodded, "What were you thinking? You **knew **that you weren't powerful enough to obtain the sword."

                Yun Sung was about to object and tell Hwang that he had actually reached the sword, but he chose not to, "Hwang... there is something I want to do."

                "If it's battle me, forget about it. It's **still** not happening."

                Yun Sung shook his head, "Nah. I understand now... that it was foolish of me to only care about fighting you."

                Hwang looked at Yun Sung with a certain respect in his eyes, "You've grown up a lot, Yun Sung. What is it that you want?"

                "I want to help fight against Japan. I want to join in the war," he answered.

                A smile crossed Hwang's face, "I'm impressed," he admitted. "But you can't just join a war, you have to..."

                "I know..." Yun Sung sighed, "Train in the Coastal Defense."

                "It's not as bad as you believe it to be," Hwang assured, "With your skill, you should be able to reach the required ranking soon."

                Yun Sung rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah... soon..."

                Hwang laughed, "Come on, Yun Sung. We should inform Master Myong of your choice. You can tell me what exactly happened to you on the way."

                "There's no way that I can tell you **everything** from here to Master Myong," Yun Sung said tiredly.

                "I can imagine," Hwang agreed, "Anything that made _you_ want to help the country had to have been intense. There will be more time for us to talk. Now we have to see Master Myong and you have to join the Coastal Defense."

                "Gre-eat..." Yun Sung was still exhausted from his journeys, but he still followed Hwang for the sake of protecting his country...

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "Excuse me... do you know where the Seung family dojo is?" Takharu had finally arrived in Korea, however she did not know where the dojo was located. The only chance that she had of finding it was to question people on the streets.

                The man she had asked nodded, "It's in the next town to the east. It shouldn't be more than a few hours walking distance from here. Ask a resident of that town for the exact location."

                "Thank you very much," Takharu said gratefully. _"Salama was not entirely right,"_ she thought, _"The world is becoming... more accepting."_ She turned and began walking west.

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "... And so that's _everything_ that happened on my journey. Are you happy that you know it all, Hwang?" Yun Sung had just finished recounting his entire adventure. He had had a chance to tell the story to Hwang every night that Hwang was off of the battlefield.

                "Not really," Hwang replied, "You were pathetic and ruined your chances with that 'Takharu'."

                "What's that supposed to mean!?" Yun Sung exclaimed.

                Hwang yawned, "It means that you care more about her than you ever cared about Soul Edge."

                "But I..."

                "Listen, Yun Sung... I know what I'm talking about. Despite the fact that you cared for her, you still treated her inferior to you in the end... right?" Hwang asked curiously.

                "Well, I..."

                "And you regret it, because you love her."

                Yun Sung looked at Hwang in silence.

                Hwang provided his advice, "Tell her before she hates you forever." 

                "I can't, Hwang. We're here, in Korea... and she's all the way in Egypt," Yun Sung sighed sadly.

                Their conversation was cut short by their commander entering the room, "Hwang, Yun Sung... You may both return to the Seung dojo for a few days. Your services will not be needed... but I expect you back after _a few_ days! Especially you, Yun Sung; you have more training to do."

                "Thank you, sir," Hwang said gratefully before the commander exited the room, "I'm suggesting that you use this free time to think things over, Yun Sung," he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.

                Yun Sung sighed to himself, _"I really **do** have a lot to think about..."_

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                "This would be the Seung dojo," a Korean woman pointed to a building, clarifying the location.

                Takharu looked at it. It seemed like a friendly place, "Thank you for showing me the way."

                "Don't mention it," the woman said before walking away.

                _"Time to see if they'll welcome me,"_ Takharu took a deep breath and headed toward the dojo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                The dojo door slid open and revealed the familiar face of Seung Mina, "Takharu! What are you doing here?" she asked excitedly.

                "Mina... It's great to see you... but... things are not good. My family... is gone. My father left and my mother is dead..."

                Mina's happy expression turned to a frown, "That's terrible... how did it happen? Come in and tell me everything."

                As they walked through the hallways of the dojo, Takharu explained, "My mother and younger brother were slaughtered by Nightmare... my father just disappeared while I was gone. That was all of my family... so, I'm alone. There's not much more to say than that..."

                "I feel so sorry for you," Mina said, sympathetically.

                "Don't pity me, Mina. I just need time to figure things out..."

                "What's to figure out? I'm not going to let you go back out into the world," Mina said.

                "But where can I stay?"

                Mina thought for a moment, "Well... if you stay here and help out with the chores... I'm certain that my father would allow you to stay if you made yourself useful. Plus, with a few of the students gone to help in the war against Japan, some extra company and help is welcomed among most people."

                Takharu looked at Mina, "Is Yun Sung among those gone?"

                "Somewhat. He is still in training," she replied.

                "And Soul Edge...?" Takharu asked.

                "He never took it, Takharu. He hardly spoke about it at all... What happened?"

                Takharu spoke slowly, with an ashamed tone, "I don't remember exactly what I said to him... but I know that I was really harsh. I feel so bad about it... I want to see him and apologize..."

                "On the contrary, I think that _he_ should be **thanking** _you_," Mina stated, "Whatever it was that you said, it knocked some sense into him. It was probably because of it that he isn't being manipulated by Soul Edge."

                "I never thought of it that way..."

                Mina stopped walking, "This is my room... you can stay in here with me," she said, "We'll talk more in the morning."

                "All right. Good night, Mina."

~[---{-----|~-~|-----}---]~

                Hwang slid open the door of the dojo, "Master Myong! Mina!" he called out, "Is anyone around here?"

                "Well, I never thought I'd be glad to see you back here," Mina remarked.

                "Does that mean that you're pleased to see me?" Hwang asked.

                Mina scoffed, "In your dreams!" Hwang looked somewhat disappointed. Mina smiled at Hwang, then turned her attention to Yun Sung, "Yun Sung... Takharu is here."

                Yun Sung was glad, nervous and confused at the same time, "Why?"

                "I'll let _her_ explain it to you."

                Takharu stepped out from behind Mina, "Hello, Yun Sung..."

                "What are you doing here?" he asked.

                "I'm... living here now. It's the only place that I have," she responded.

                Mina grabbed Hwang's arm, "Come on, let's leave them alone."

                "All right," Hwang agreed, "So that's Takharu?" Mina nodded as she pulled Hwang out of the room.

                "What do you mean _it's the only place_ that you have? What about your home and your father?" Yun Sung questioned.

                "They're not there anymore... my father left and my home is abandoned. I can't live there alone," Takharu replied, "And despite all of that... I also just want to talk to you."

                "Good... because I have some things that I want to say to you, as well."

                Takharu reached out and held Yun Sung's hand, "Then say them."

                "You were right all along. I didn't need Soul Edge, I could have gotten Hwang to recognize me without it... and now I have, simply by joining the Coastal Defense and battling against Japan. Fighting along side of Hwang has more of an affect than just demanding a battle," Yun Sung admitted, "If I had claimed Soul Edge, I would have felt eternal pain, just like you said... I never would have realized that I had the power all along..."

                Takharu smiled, "I am so glad that you didn't become controlled by Soul Edge... Everything that I said in Ostrheinsburg... I'm so sorry..."

                "Don't be," Yun Sung cut in, "If you hadn't said all of those things, I would have taken Soul Edge, I wouldn't have join the Coastal Defense, and I wouldn't have realized that _I love you_!" he froze after becoming aware of what he had just said.

                "You... what...?" Takharu asked sceptically.

                "I..." Yun Sung hesitated, "... love you."

                "Yun Sung... I love you, too..." Takharu tightened her grip on Yun Sung's hand. "I wanted to tell you back then... but I was so upset..."

                Yun Sung placed his other hand on the side of Takharu's face and stared into her eyes, "That doesn't matter. Nothing that happened before does... we're together now," Yun Sung let his hand slide down to Takharu's waist and pulled her closer. He closed his eyes and kissed her lips; it was much more natural than the first time they kissed, for now they both knew exactly how they felt. They knew that they were in love and that nothing could take that away...

                Mina walked back in and interrupted their moment, "Aw... how sweet."

                Yun Sung broke the kiss. He slowly opened his eyes, revealing a tone of annoyance, "Mina..." he said in an irritated tone, "Do you mind?"

                "Not really," Mina grinned.

                Hwang stood behind her, shaking his head slowly to himself. _"She still doesn't truly understand..."_

                Yun Sung clenched his fists, "You're going to regret that!" he charged at Mina, who simply stepped to the side. Yun Sung stopped quickly to avoid running into a wall. Mina broke into a fit of laughter and Yun Sung cursed under his breath.

                "You need to think of the consequences before you take action, Yun Sung!" Mina teased between laughs.

                "I could say the same to you! ...Except in context of words and not actions!" Yun Sung shouted, "Because I'm going to kick your ass!"

Takharu found it unusual to see Yun Sung and Mina at their home. After a long and harsh journey... it was nice to see Yun Sung's true personality; the way that he acted at home. She looked forward to learning more about this side of Yun Sung. Hwang interrupted Takharu's thoughts with a sigh. "Welcome to the Seung dojo, Takharu," he then muttered under his breath, "Although sometimes I wonder why people _choose_ to live with _these_ people..."

-[~|THE END|~]-

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**Yaaaaaay! Fate & Destiny is COMPLETE! Mwahaha... I am pleased with my ending. ^_^ So... can you please review and give me your opinion of this chapter – or the overall fan fiction! I may write a sequel at some point... I have an idea for it... But it may take a while for me to actually get started on it. Uh... so... thank you for reading!! Now... to finish re-writing Warrior Island. @_@ And then those other stories of mine that I have to work on... and... argh! Ah well. Writing stories is worth the time it takes. ^.~ Sayonara, readers!**


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